Sunset: My Version
by Dewfrost
Summary: sequel to Twilight: My Version Once again, I can't wait for September for Twilight, so this is my version of what Sunset, the last book in the New Prophecy series will be like.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, this is the first chappie to my fic: Sunset: My Version. It's the sequel to Twilight: My Version, and if you haven't read that then you might (okay, probably will) get lost reading this one. So, anyways...**

Morning was setting in as a dark tabby cat made his way back to his Clan's camp. The thick reed dens shook in the gentle winds of approaching newleaf, and cats were beginning to climb out of them, yawning in the morning sun.

A gray-blue she-cat was organizing a group of patrols, and her eye caught that of the dark tabby as he made his way through the camp. She bounded over to him. "You're back late," she meowed critically.

"I know," mewed the tabby. "Sorry. Late patrols. We can never be too careful with ShadowClan, after all. They tried to move in on ThunderClan territory, you know." He carefully laid his tail over the wound on his flank.

"Yes, I know," meowed the she-cat. "All right, Hawkfrost. Get some rest. I'll expect you up by sunhigh, though."

Hawkfrost dipped his head to the deputy and then made his way to the reed den, feeling her disapproving gaze on him as he went. He felt like rolling his eyes. She didn't trust him, it was so obvious. But so what? She was getting old, and she didn't have nine lives. Soon she'd be with StarClan, or retired, with the elders. And then _he'd _be deputy. He knew it. Who else would Leopardstar choose?

Carefully he curled up in his nest, only to be poked by Badgerclaw **( AN: made up, I needed a cat that supports Hawkfrost, and they aren't mentioned by name in Starlight) **in the side. The black-and-white tom was looking at him with eyes kindling with excitement. "So? Did you talk to the rogue leader? Do we have a plan?"

Hawkfrost looked carefully around the warriors' den before replying. Badgerclaw and Blackclaw were the only ones that he'd told of his plan to gather the rogues to invade ShadowClan, since he was sure they would support him. He and Badgerclaw were the only ones here, so he was certain they wouldn't be overheard.

"No," he mewed at last. "Brambleclaw showed up- he'd caught my scent in ThunderClan territory- and I couldn't do it with him there."

"Brambleclaw!" Badgerclaw's black-and-white fur bristled. "All of ThunderClan must know by now, then! You didn't kill him? You could have blamed it on the rogues!"

"Kill him?" Hawkfrost's eyes widened. "I can't, Badgerclaw. He's my brother. My kin. Besides, he's strong and he's smart- and he trusts me."

"And that matters to you?" Badgerclaw queried.

"Yes, it does." Hawkfrost flicked his ears. "What if I need his help later? And even if I don't- he'll be my ears in ThunderClan. Once I figure out how to sway him to _my _side."

Badgerclaw tipped his head to one side. "All right, then. And you're certain he won't tell Firestar?"

Hawkfrost licked his paw. "Quite certain."

"So what did you do?"

"Pretended to agree with him," mewed Hawkfrost. "And then went with him to get rid of the rogues."

"Get rid of them?"

"Yes. So there'll be no plan with them. A loss, I'll admit." Hawkfrost yawned.

"But how did you and Brambleclaw- _alone_- ever manage to get rid of a pack of rogues?"

"Oh." Hawkfrost's whiskers twitched. "Well, you know the trail to the Moonpool?"

Badgerclaw nodded- they'd both heard it described enough times by Mothwing.

"There's a bit of a stream that breaks off from the stream that leads to the pool. It flows far north, almost parallel with the broken Twoleg trail. Then it goes over some rocks- into a valley. A waterfall."

Badgerclaw's long claws shot out in anticipation as Hawkfrost continued, "Brambleclaw and I ran right through the rogues' camp, clawing at everything we could reach, and then ran right for the waterfall. They were so stupid- they followed us. We outran them, and then when we neared it we leaped to the side. Ginger- their leader- led them all clear over. Though she tried to take a bit of me with her." He lifted his tail to reveal the wound on him.

Badgerclaw winced. "All of them? They're all dead?"

"If their wailing is anything to go by, I'd say yes," Hawkfrost answered.

"So what do we do now?" Badgerclaw wondered. "Do you have a new plan for invading ShadowClan? Blackstar still doesn't trust you, you know."

Hawkfrost tilted his head to one side. "Not yet," he meowed. "It'll take a lot of thinking to put together a new plan. But I'll think of one."

"I still didn't get why you didn't just kill Brambleclaw," Badgerclaw grumbled. "It would have been easy."

Hawkfrost's eyes seared into him. _The thing is, _thought the tabby, _I don't know that it would be. Brambleclaw's a lot stronger than he lets on._

_But does that make him stronger than me?  
_

"Still." Badgerclaw's mew broke him out of his thoughts. "That was a fine plan you had for getting rid of the rogues."

Hawkfrost laid his head on his front paws in satisfaction, and closed his eyes. "Thank Firestar," he meowed. "It was his plan in the first place, after all. Though he used it on dogs." One of his eyes opened in a cruel, cunning slit. "Or better yet," he went on, "thank my father. He was the one that gave me the idea to use the rogues in the first place..."

**Whoa, insanely long prologue, I know, but I wanted to describe how Hawkfrost and Brambleclaw got rid of the rogues, and let y'all know that I DIDN'T make him totally good.**

**Mwahahaha...**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chappie #1 is UP. Woot! Thanx to all that reviewed the prologue and my old story. Here's the first real chappie, from Leafpool's POV.**

Leafpool sat on the ledge of the stone hollow. Her tail flicked with amusement as she watched Birchkit rocket out of the nursery suddenly, yowling at the top of his lungs to no one in paticular, "I'm going to be an apprentice! I'm going to be an apprentice!"

His light green eyes were shining with glee, and he seemed ready to burst in excitement. Ferncloud followed after him more slowly, padding over to Dustpelt and touching her nose to his cheek affectionately as they watched their only surviving son.

Sorreltail, who had recently joined the nursery queens herself, leaped onto the rock with Leafpool. "I think I may be half-deaf from listening to that one," she mewed, twitching her whiskers at Birchkit. "Thank StarClan he'll be joining the apprentices, and keeping Sunpaw awake instead of me!"

"What's that I'm hearing?" Sunpaw, Graystripe's apprentice, bounded up after them. "I need just as much sleep as the next cat, thank you very much!"

Sunpaw hadn't been born with the Clans. She actually had no memory of her actual kin- she had been taken by Twolegs when she was little more than a kit. During his own capture, Graystripe had befriended her and they had escaped together. Now she was a loyal member of ThunderClan.

Sorreltail let out a _mrrow _of laughter, and then aimed her next comment at Leafpool. "I'm surprised you're here," she meowed. "You've been out a lot lately with-"

She closed her mouth at Leafpool's warning flick of her ears, and then finished awkwardly, "...with Cinderpelt, collecting herbs."

"Yes, well, newleaf's just begun, and the softest coltsfoot and catmint has just sprouted," Leafpool mewed quickly. "We have to get it all."

Sunpaw looked at her curiously. Sunpaw, despite being talkative, did not miss much, and she did not forget much. But she didn't say anything more on the subject, and instead asked, "Who do you think Firestar will choose for Birchkit's mentor?"

But Leafpool wasn't paying attention. Even Sorreltail's near-mention had gotten her thinking of him again. His light blue eyes and dark, dark pelt that was not quite black and not quite gray...she loved him. Crowfeather. The WindClan tom.

And that wouldn't be such a problem...if it weren't for the codes of honor, the Clan rules and loyalty, that she was breaking.

&&&

Birchpaw's ceremony was at sunset. The cats gathered below the Highledge, waiting for Firestar to appear. Birchkit sat nearest to the spurt of rock, with Ferncloud hovering behind, occasionally giving his ears a lick until he shook her off. Leafpool sat with Whitewhisker and Sorreltail near the edge of the crowd.

Finally, her father Firestar appeared. He leaped to the Highledge, the muscles rippling under his flaming ginger pelt that gave him his name. From beside her mate Brambleclaw, Leafpool's sister Squirrelflight's fur gleamed the exact same way.

Firestar sat on the Highledge for a moment and called the summons just as Mousefur made her way over from the elders' den. Leafpool thought her walk was a bit odd, and decided to gather some ginger root to help ease the pain in her joints. And ginger grew near the WindClan border...

Her thoughts were interrupted as Firestar began. "Cats of ThunderClan, we are gathered today to give a young kit his apprentice name." He leaped from the Highledge in one fluid motion and took a step towards Birchkit. "But first, I wish to spare a moment to honor the two kits that should have been here with him, as well the apprentice that runs with the warriors in StarClan now. Hollykit, Larchkit, and Shrewpaw would have made fine members of ThunderClan- and they did, for the short time they were with us. And now they watch over us from StarClan."

He bowed his head, and the rest of the Clan followed suit. Leafpool swallowed as she remembered Ferncloud's three kits. Hollykit and Larchkit had died of starvation while the clans had suffered at their old home, and Shrepaw had been hit with a Twoleg monster. She thanked StarClan that at least Birchkit had pulled through, giving the Clan some future, some hope.

At last Firestar looked up, and he locked eyes with the young gray tom before him. "Birchkit, from now until you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Birchpaw."

The new apprentice gave a little shiver of excitement, but remained silent as Firestar turned his attention to the gathered cats, catching the eye of one. "Brambleclaw, you have proven yourself many times over to be a noble warrior of great skill and strength, and you led us to our new home. I trained you myself, and I taught you all I know. I'm certain that you will do the same for Birchpaw."

"Of course," Brambleclaw mewed, and there was a bright gleam of anticipation in his eyes as he stepped forward to touch noses with Birchpaw. The new apprentice looked at the well-muscled tabby with a bit of awe for a moment, and then touched noses and they set off for the edge of the clearing.

The Clan broke into murmurs of approval and then gathered around the new mentor and apprentice to congratulate him, Squirrelflight and Spiderfoot, Birchpaw's older brother, among the first. Leafpool hesitated before following.

_Strength and skill...but no mention of loyalty. _Firestar had once told Squirrelflight that he was worried about the ambition in Brambleclaw. Squirrelflight had once been, too, but her love had won over. But Leafpool didn't know Brambleclaw nearly as well as her sister did, and she couldn't help wondering if there was more to him than she could ever really understand.

&&&

Leafpool seized the fat root in her jaws, trying to get a good grip without letting the bitter flavor hit her glands. She tugged at it, grunting as she felt it came loose. Suddenly with a shower of dirt the ginger came all the way free. The force of Leafpool's tug sent her sprawling backward with the root in her teeth.

"Cinderpelt teach you that, Leafpool?" The teasing voice met her ears, and she spat out the root instantly, leaping to her paws. "Crowfeather! Only you'd catch me like that."

He let out a purr of laughter as she scrambled to her paws and padded over to him. She had hoped that she would find him at the border, though she hadn't dared cross over into WindClan territory to find him.

He pressed his muzzle against hers in greeting, and then took a pace back. "So how are things in ThunderClan?"

"Good. It is newleaf, after all. Birchpaw's been made an apprentice."

"Who's his mentor?"

"Brambleclaw," mewed Leafpool.

"He must be pleased," Crowfeather commented, and flicked his ears. Leafpool looked at him curiously. "Do you want an apprentice?"

"Oh, I haven't been a warrior long enough to think about it." Crowfeather shook his head. "Though I wouldn't mind one."

His voice was light, but there was worry making his fur bristle. Leafpool tapped him with her tail. "What's wrong?"

Crowfeather lifted a paw and licked it thoughtfully. "Ashfoot's a bit ill," he admitted. "Only a cough- and Barkface swears it's only from the cold winds, but still..."

Leafpool let out a purr of sympathy. Ashfoot, along with being WindClan's deputy, was Crowfeather's mother. "You must be worried for her."

Crowfeather shrugged, but Leafpool knew him better than that. "What does she have?"

"A raspy throat, and she says that it hurts when she breathes in," Crowfeather meowed. "And-"

He suddenly broke off and then shoved her roughly into a gorse bush. Leafpool clamped her jaws shut over her mew of surprise and instead pressed herself down amongst the prickly stems as two WindClan warriors came bounding up to Crowfeather. "Have you renewed the scent marks?" mewed one.

"Yes," Crowfeather meowed. "Come on, then. No sense on lounging around the border."

Quickly he began to lead them away. But he looked back once, and his eyes caught Leafpool's from inside the bush. He blinked, and in a heartbeat his indifferent gaze turned to one of longing, love, and warmth. Leafpool held back her purr so that she wouldn't be detected and instead waited in the bush until they were gone. Then she collected her ginger and set off back for camp. The medicine cat's pawsteps were incredibly light, despite the weight of the bitter roots she carried.

**Okay, I'm planning on having three POVs for this story. One is Leafpool (duh), one is Brambleclaw (since I need him for the storyline), but I'm not sure about the last one. So I'll let you all pick. Your choices are just the traveling cats, though I put in Firestar too, just in case there's lots of old-series lovers out there. Here:**

**a.) Squirrelflight**

**b.) Tawnypelt**

**c.) Crowfeather**

**d.) Firestar**

**Which one? Pm your choice or put it in a review. The one that gets the most votes will be my third main character! Thanx!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Okay, polls are in. The winner is: Crowfeather! Awesome. He's fun to write, and I have plans for him in WindClan...**

Crowfeather's mind was full as he made his way back to the WindClan camp. His feelings for Leafpool were there, as always, but now that he didn't have to worry about them other thoughts became more important. He was worried for Ashfoot, more than he'd like to admit. She was old- she had been a queen when Brokentail had first chased WindClan out, after all- but she had always seemed so vigorous to him, so fierce. Now she was lying in Barkface and Icepaw's den, feeble and exhausted.

_And then who will Onestar make deputy? _Crowfeather wondered. _She is senior warrior!  
_

In truth, he was uncertain about who to trust in WindClan anymore. After Mudclaw's betrayal, the Clan had been split. Webfoot, Nightcloud, and Briarpelt had all fought for Mudclaw, and though Onestar had chosen to forgive them, Crowfeather knew that he still watched them.

_It's odd, _thought Crowfeather, _to be not sure who to trust in your own Clan._ _And then, _he added, thinking of Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Tawnypelt, and especially Leafpool, _to trust cats from other Clans more._

Mudclaw had always taught him that his first loyalty should be to WindClan, and that trusting cats from other Clans could lead to complications, and probably disloyalty. But Mudclaw had been wrong about a lot of things. Crowfeather snorted as he descended into the valley of the WindClan camp.

The bright sunlight had made everyone leave their gorse dens, even Darkfoot, the oldest cat in the Clan. He lay sprawled out beside Morningflower, letting the warmth soak into his thick black pelt. Crowfeather nodded to him as he made his way to Barkface's den, which was down a tunnel at the base of the slope. He shivered as he entered; without the sunlight, the cold of leaf-bare was strong in here.

"Crowfeather." He heard Barkface's old mew just as he spotted the medicine cat's yellow eyes in the darkness. As the warrior's own eyes adjusted he saw that Ashfoot was there too, laying on her side in a nest of down and moss. "Come to see her, I suppose?" Barkface rasped.

"Yes," Crowfeather meowed. "How is she?"

Barkface twitched his tail uncertainly. "The cold has gotten to her this season," he admitted. "I have given her honey to soothe her throat, and a poultice of marjoram and thyme to heal her lungs. I only hope that it will help her."

"And what if it doesn't?" Crowfeather demanded, annoyed by his calm tone. He wanted him to get worried, to be rushing around trying to heal her, not just sitting there like a rock collecting cobwebs.

To his surprise, Icepaw appeared out of the corner of the den. His jaws were packed with daisy roots, and he spat them out. "If she doesn't, she'll die. Or join the elders, maybe. She won't be able to run with the patrols with her lungs. Is that right, Barkface?" Expressionless, thoughtless, he turned his eyes on his mentor, who looked downward as he was forced to answer, "Yes. That's right."

Icepaw's eyes flashed up at Crowfeather, who for a moment wanted to take a swipe at the young apprentice. Icepaw was all business and no lies. In the past moon all his kithood excitement had vanished and he became solemn and almost wise. Solid as a block of ice, how uncanny it was.

"What if Crowfeather takes her out in the sun?" suggested Icepaw quietly. "It may warm her inside."

It was then that Crowfeather realized Ashfoot had been awake the whole time, had heard everything they'd said. He opened his mouth and then closed it again as she heaved herself to her paws. "That sounds like a fine idea, Icepaw," she rasped. "Perhaps I can help Onestar organize the patrols while I'm at it."

She began to pad down the tunnel, and Crowfeather rushed to her side. His pelt brushed past hers as he supported her gently- enough to help her, but not enough to make her look elderly and frail. He led her slowly out of the den, into the main clearing. Despite her arguments, he insisted on sitting with her for a while. Ashfoot rolled her eyes at him when she finally gave in. "Stubborn. But then, you got that from me."

"So how are you?" Crowfeather pressed on, looking at her searchingly. Icepaw's cold words rang in his ears. _Dead. Dead or with the elders. Not deputy. _But she had to be! There was no one else!

Before Ashfoot could answer, excited kit voices split the air. "Crowfeather, it's Crowfeather!"

Whitetail's two kits, Lightkit and Fogkit, came tumbling across the valley over to the tom, eagerness in their eyes. Their mother came rushing after them. "Don't go racing off like that!" she scolded them, but they were bouncing around Crowfeather, oblivious. "Crowfeather, Crowfeather, tell us a story," Lightkit begged. "Tell us of the sun-drown place. Tell us of the talking badger!"

"Oh, _yes_!" squealed Fogkit, her eyes shining. "Go on, Crowfeather, tell us!"

Crowfeather looked at Ashfoot helplessly- he knew nothing about kits. She was purring in amusment at his expression, and he was grateful when Whitetail took charge.

"Kits!" she meowed sternly. "If you can't ask Crowfeather nicely, you won't hear a mew out of him!"

Lightkit studied her for a moment, and then seemed to decide that her order was reasonable. The little gold tom padded up to Crowfeather and clarified, "Crowfeather, _please _tell us!"

Crowfeather had to twitch his whiskers at that, and he tucked his paws under him as they gathered round him, jostling each other. He closed his eyes briefly, and the image of the water and the badger Midnight spread before him, as real as it had been when he was there. "Well," he meowed, "The water at the sun-drown place is always moving, never stopping. Like a river. Only it crashed into cliffs and then dragged back, then came forward again. It smelled of salt, and tasted of it, too."

"Blech!" spat Fogkit, and Ashfoot prodded her with her tail for silence. She was watching her son now, interested, a bit of pride in her eyes. Lightkit and Fogkit were enraptured, and even the warriors in the middle of their duties pricked their ears as they passed, eager for a scrap of the tale of how they had arrived at this place, their new home.

"Every night, as it set, the sun would sink behind the horizon to be swallowed up by the water. It went with a flash of red, like blood- only it wasn't blood. It was different. It wasn't like death. Because the sun comes back every morning..."

Crowfeather went on, telling about how Brambleclaw had fallen into the water, about how they had met Midnight and discovered the truth about the Twolegs. How they had made their way back over the mountains. He forced himself to go on as he described Sharptooth, and Squirrelflight's plan to murder him with deathberries. But when he reached the point when Feathertail fell, when they had all crept out of the rocks to find Sharptooth dead and her injured badly, he found that he couldn't speak.

"So what happened, Crowfeather?" mewed Fogkit curiously. "You were all sad, I'll bet. But you told the other cats to get themselves together, right?"

Crowfeather swallowed. WindClan did not know of his real relationship with Feathertail- only the traveling cats knew, and Leafpool, of course, and she had only discovered it from a combination of Squirrelflight and his reaction to her. So how was he supposed to tell them that he had been the worst off, that it had been Brambleclaw who had held them all together on the way back, without revealing how he had felt about the RiverClan she-cat?

"We helped each other," he meowed at last. "We were all sad, and we all mourned her together. But we had a task to do, and we completed it."

With that, he walked away. He wasn't even aware that Ashfoot had followed him until her tail reached up, stroking him lightly on his head, the way she had used to lull him to sleep as a kit. When he turned he found himself staring into her familiar blue eyes. Familiar because she was his mother, but also familiar because they were the same as his own.

"Did you care for her, Crowfeather?" whispered Ashfoot.

_She knows. _Crowfeather's fur bristled, and he lost the desire to lie. "I did," he murmured. "More than you'll ever know."

His mother let out a short purr, and she reached forward, touching her nose in between his eyes, a gesture he had not felt in so long. It made him feel warm in some part of him that was always cold, ever since he had been made an apprentice and left the nursery.

"Oh, Crowfeather, my dear," Ashfoot mewed. "I believe I already do."

She pulled away, and then tried to stifle her sudden cough. Crowfeather pawed at the ground. "Ash- Mother, will you be all right?"

Ashfoot's entire body was shaking with her wheezing now, and she tried to speak through her fit. "Yes," she hacked out. "Yes, I'll be fine."

But her words carried little conviction, and they seemed as meaningless as a warm breeze amongst a bone-chilling frost.

**Reviews are appriciated (as usual)! **


	4. WindClan allegiance

**To keep everyone from getting confused, I made up an alleigance for WindClan. A couple of cats I made up, so I would have enough warriors and apprentices. Hope this clears it all up, and, for the record, any similiar names in any other fics are coincidental.**

Leader: Onestar- brown tabby tom

Deputy: Ashfoot- gray she-cat

Medicine Cat: Barkface- old brown tom

Apprentice: Icepaw- white tom with a splash of black onhis side

Warriors-

Tornear- tabby tom

Webfoot- dark gray tabby tom

Apprentice: Weaselpaw

Robinwing- light brown she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice: Thistlepaw

Crowfeather- dark smoky gray, almost black tom, light blue eyes

Gorsetail- Tawny-colored tom with green eyes

Moonfrost- Long-limbed white tom with amber eyes

Puddlefur- white she-cat with gray splotches; yellow eyes

Nettleclaw- Big black tom with blue eyes

Apprentice; Gingerpaw

Briarpelt- Lean ginger-and-white tom

Apprentice; Owlpaw

Goldheart- Golden tabby she-cat

Queens

Whitetail- small white she-cat

Elders

Morningflower- tortoiseshell she-cat, amber eyes

Oatwhisker- creamy brown tabby tom

Darkfoot- oldest cat in WindClan; black tom with long, ragged fur

**While I have you, Harry Potter fans might be interested in a new fic that's up by someone I know- DragonFrog. Their fic's "The Riddle of Magic" and it's really good and well-written. HP fans (like me) might want to take a look. Their name is in my favorites- so you can find it easy.**

**Hey, I don't have to say "reviews are appriciated". Seriously, you can't really review a Clan listing...**

**And a preview of the next chappie:**

"I'll only help so that you don't track mud in _my _den," Squirrelflight meowed, though her eyes were full of laughter.

**Ooo, suspense. (Sort of.)**


	5. Chapter 4

**New chappie's up! Brambleclaw's POV. Here goes...**

_It's a lot harder to be a mentor than it sounds, _Brambleclaw thought, as he chased Birchpaw across ThunderClan territory. It was his first day out with his new apprentice, and he was giving him a tour of ThunderClan land. Birchpaw hardly ever stopped talking, whether it was about some new thing he'd seen or smelled, or some new thing that he hoped to smell or see. Brambleclaw would have been able to put up with that, of course, if only the young cat would stay in one place.

"Birchpaw!" he called again, as he raced after the gray-flecked tom. "You have to be careful around here, you know! We're nearing ShadowClan territory!"

At once the apprentice halted, his light green eyes widening. Obviously this had gotten his full attention. He came padding back to Brambleclaw. "Where does their territory start?"

Slowly, Brambleclaw led him towards the border, carefully pointing out the scent marking. "Their territory begins where the forest switches to pine," he explained, "though it's a bit mixed right around the border. Don't worry, though- you'll soon learn the place well enough."

Birchpaw looked curiously over into ShadowClan territory. "Applekit and Marshkit and Toadkit might be apprentices now too," he meowed thoughtfully. "Can I ever see them?"

Brambleclaw looked at him, an anxious feeling pricking at him. "Not now," he meowed. "Only at Gatherings. Remember, they're not your Clanmates."

Birchpaw looked up at him. "What are they, then?"

"Well...technically...they're your enemies," Brambleclaw admitted.

Birchpaw looked at him as if he did not quite believe that he had heard him right. "What? No way!" he meowed indignantly. "I played with them! They're _nice._"

"Yes, well..." Brambleclaw pawed nervously at the ground. "My own sister, Tawnypelt, is from ShadowClan. I know better than any cat what you're feeling, and I know that they're not bad. But you can't see them whenever you want. That's the way it is. We won't ever be at peace with the other Clans, not enough for you to do that."

"Why not?" Birchpaw demanded. "Why can't we all be in one Clan?"

Brambleclaw blinked at him, and he remembered the answer to the question- because it was the answer Firestar had given him, long ago. "Because it is loyalty to our Clan that makes us strong. What are we, if not ThunderClan? What do we fight for, if not for Firestar and Graystripe and for our territory? It's the battles that kill strong warriors, but without them there wouldn't be any strong warriors at all." Brambleclaw gazed down at the young cat, willing for him to understand. A light dawned in Birchpaw's eyes. "So we're seperate because it helps us?"

"Sort of, yes," Brambleclaw meowed. "And don't worry about Marshkit and Toadkit and Applekit. You'll see them at Gatherings. Now come on-" he flicked his tail lightly over his apprentice's ear- "I'll show you the broken Twoleg nest!"

"Really?" Birchpaw tore his eyes away from the border and shot off in the completely wrong direction. Before following him, Brambleclaw stopped to look into ShadowClan territory himself. Birchpaw's reaction had surprised him. Never before had a Clanborn apprentice questioned the Clan boundries.

But did the other kits that had bonded on the journey to the new home feel the same? Did Toadkit and Applekit and Marshkit wonder why they couldn't see Birchpaw anymore? And if they did, what did that mean for the future of the Clans?

&&&

Brambleclaw took Birchpaw the long way to the broken Twoleg nest, which meant crossing a stream ahead. As they approached it, Brambleclaw began, "Now don't go trying to jump it- it's far too wide in the middle-"

"No, wait!" Birchpaw meowed, and he leaped forward, his first hop carrying him all the way to the edge of the bank, the second bringing him out over the water- the middle of the stream, where it was too deep and strong for him to be safe. Brambleclaw immidiately leaped himself, his own larger jump aimed right where his apprentice was sure to disappear underwater.

Brambleclaw was still midleap when he saw Birchpaw's small paws catch a rock that he hadn't seen underwater. The gray cat landed neatly on the hidden stone, and then bounded safely the last half of the stream- just as his mentor came crashing behind him. Brambleclaw's jump had been far more powerful than Birchpaw's, and he had gone at it with all four legs splayed out, for he thought he would be trying to swim. But instead he had to twist to try and catch the small rock- which proved to be slippery and awkward. He grasped it with one paw, and then his claw lost his grip.

Brambleclaw fell into the water with a yowl. There was a splash that made the birds flutter indignantly away from their perches- and then the new mentor was crawling out of the stream- drenched, and beginning to wonder if having an apprentice was worth it.

&&&

A thick coating of mud was settling on Brambleclaw as they finally made it back to camp. Birchpaw scampered over to carry the elders' fresh-kill to them, while Brambleclaw flopped down beside Squirrelflight outside the warriors' den. She looked at him with a determinedly straight face. "So training went well?"

Brambleclaw relayed the day's events to her, making sure to mention the incident at the ShadowClan border. Her ears twitched as she heard of it. "I suppose we shouldn't be surprised," she meowed. "After all, he was only a kit when we moved here. And it wasn't as if we were discouraging him from meeting kits of other Clans."

Brambleclaw flicked his tail. True, they had been doing their best to bring the Clans together on their journey here- but that was before they had arrived. Now they were all striving for a normal Clan life, like the one they had left in the old forest. "But what if _all_ the kits think like this? What'll they do when they're all warriors. Some of them will meet in battle, for sure."

Squirrelflight nodded. "They will. But by then they'll have learned how the warrior code goes. Including Birchpaw."

Brambleclaw accepted this, and then turned to begin to wash the coat of drying mud off his fur. Squirrelflight watched him, her expression dancing with amusement. "So how'd you get like that?"

As he told her that bit of his day, she let out a long _mrrow _of laughter that she quickly stifled when he looked at her reaproachfully. "Oh. Well, now we know that the stone is there. It'll be easier to cross."

"Oh, good," Brambleclaw meowed sarcastically. "If only there had been a way to figure it out that didn't involve nearly drowning me." He lay back, widening his eyes at her. "Now will you help me get it off?"

"Only so you don't track mud in _my _den!" Squirrelflight meowed, though her eyes were full of laughter. She began to help him clear his dark tabby fur of mud, and as they shared tongues Brambleclaw heard her begin to purr.

Brambleclaw's eyes closed briefly. _What would I do without you, Squirrelflight? _he wondered. He was about to say something, but he was interrupted by a sudden yowl. Sunpaw exploded through the thorns, Graystripe hard on her paws. The deputy looked like he was ready to find Firestar, though Sunpaw seemed to have a faster idea in mind. She yowled again, loud enough for the whole Clan to hear.

"RiverClan! RiverClan's been scented in WindClan territory!"

**I know, it seems like I've had every Clan attacking each other. Got to stir up the plot somewhat...anyway, reviews are appriciated!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Crowfeather's POV, peeps. Oh, and I accidentally called Spiderleg Spiderfoot back in Leafpool's chappie. Sorry- and thanks to shnitzenhimer and Brightfang for pointing it out!**

There was fury in Webfoot's eyes as his patrol prowled back into the WindClan camp. Crowfeather, who had been sitting alone near the apprentices' den, watched in surprise as the dark gray tabby took a step into the camp and howled, "Onestar!"

Instantly the Clan leader appeared out of his den, padding across to his warriors, alert and curious. "What is it, Webfoot?"

"RiverClan!" snarled Webfoot. "We found their scents, so far inside our territory that there's no saying it's the wind! Not this time!"

Crowfeather remembered the previous Gathering, when Onestar had challenged Leopardstar about the faint scents they had found inside their borders. The RiverClan leader had blamed it on carrying winds, an excuse that had not satisfied many WindClan cats. Crowfeather had been too worried about Leafpool then to think much of it, but now his old, familiar Clan loyalty came bubbling back, and he jumped to his paws. "Where?" he growled, coming up to Onestar's side. "Where did you find the scents?"

Webfoot glanced at him. "Around the balanced rocks, near the border. It's clear they've been hunting there."

The balanced rocks was a place where an enormous slab of stone stood awkwardly on top of a much smaller, rounder one. It was near WindClan's border with RiverClan. The shade beneath the larger rock provided a good hiding place for prey, so it was a fine place for hunting. Clearly RiverClan thought so.

"And then," went on Webfoot, "When we took our patrol around to the other borders, we ran into Graystripe on his own patrol. Puddlefur told him what we'd found."

There was icy disapproval in his voice, as if he thought Puddlefur should be punished for this. Crowfeather's tail fur bristled as he looked at the small she-cat. After all the help that they'd had from ThunderClan during Mudclaw's betrayal, many WindClan cats thought that they shouldn't have anything to do with ThunderClan for a while. That rule would never hold for Crowfeather, though he agreed that his Clan would never look strong while they were leaning on Firestar and his warriors.

But Onestar- a great friend of Firestar's- didn't seem to think anything of it. He nodded blankly to Puddlefur, who looked questioningly at Moonfrost behind her, the last member of the patrol. The lithe white tom only blinked. Clearly he didn't think that she should have said anything to Graystripe, though he wasn't mutinous enough to say anything about it to Onestar.

The brown tabby leader was still thoughtful. "Crowfeather," he meowed finally, "I want you to take a patrol to the balanced rocks at dawn tomorrow. Cover all the RiverClan scent, and stay there a while- make sure that they don't come back. Then return to camp and report to me."

"Yes, Onestar." Crowfeather made sure to dip his head just as respectfully as he would have to Tallstar. He felt a prickle of pride at being chosen to head this important patrol. His claws sank out of their sheathes, into the ground below. He would show RiverClan they had no business in WindClan's land!

As soon as Onestar padded away, the warriors began to gather around him, each begging to go on the patrol. Crowfeather finally decided on Tornear, who was senior warrior after Ashfoot, Nettleclaw and Goldheart, furious fighters both, Nettleclaw's apprentice Thistlepaw, and Webfoot and his apprentice Weaselpaw. He was a little wary of bringing Webfoot, but he needed a cat from the original patrol, and the strong, battle-ready tom was the obvious choice.

Crowfeather lay down in his nest that night with fur tingling in anticipation of the next day. The warriors' den was under a huge bush, but the branches were wide and ragged, sparse enough for all the cats to see the stars through them. The apprentices', elders', and even Onestar's den was the same way. Only Barkface's den and the nursery were truly protected, for the cats of WindClan hated places that they couldn't see the sky from.

_Why would any cat want to live in a place where they couldn't feel the breeze in their fur? _wondered Crowfeather. That made him think of the Tribe of Rushing Water, and their closed cave. And Stormfur lived that way now. He must be a full prey-hunter now. Perhaps Brook was carrying his kits, as well.

Crowfeather abandoned trying to drop off, and instead rolled to his paws. He didn't need to sleep. His energy would carry him through the next day, and many moons of bad dreams had hardened himself against fatigue. He padded swiftly out of camp, into the moors. He made his way along the familiar path to the ThunderClan border, and as he went he willed silently that Leafpool was prowling the border herself. He was beginning to feel like he was never himself, unless he was with the ThunderClan she-cat.

&&&

Crowfeather's patrol neared the border. Webfoot hovered at the dark gray tom's shoulder, with Goldheart just behind. The two apprentices were behind her, and Tornear, alert and watchful, brought up the rear. Crowfeather had sent Nettleclaw to scout ahead, and the black tom was just returning.

"I can't imagine why RiverClan would bother with hunting at the balanced rocks," he growled, shaking his large paws. "They have to cross that bog to get there, and my claws got soaked just nearing the place. But there is fresh RiverClan scent. They might be there now."

Ignoring Gingerpaw's excited squeak, Crowfeather narrowed his eyes. "We'll have to chase them out," he meowed. "And it's best that we sneak up on them. Come on, and mind what your paws touch. We want to be quiet."

The WindClan patrol made their way silently towards the balanced rocks. Nettleclaw was right; as they neared the place, the usually dry, hard soil turned to squishy mud, and Crowfeather felt himself sinking into the ground with every pawstep. Still, tall plants had sprouted all over the place, and they provided ideal covering. Crowfeather's mind began to wander a bit as they went.

He had found Leafpool last night. Somehow she had already been there when he had arrived at the border. Neither of them understood how easily they managed to meet up; was it just from knowing each other so well, or did it truly have to do with StarClan?

She had wished him luck against RiverClan, and told him that Sunpaw and Graystripe had indeed carried the news back to ThunderClan. "But Firestar's not planning on doing anything about it," she had meowed. "He knows that we can't help WindClan with every little thing."

_If only Onestar thought that way, _Crowfeather thought. _Then maybe he wouldn't have so much trouble with Webfoot and the others._

"Crowfeather." Goldheart touched his shoulder with her tail, murmuring his name softly, and pointed ahead. Crowfeather peered through the undergrowth to see the balanced rocks; their prey-rich ground well within WindClan borders. But it was crawling with RiverClan warriors.

At once anger and WindClan loyalty seized Crowfeather, and he exploded out of the grasses, twitching his ears at his patrol to do the same. He let out a yowl of defense, and the huge cat that stood on top of the larger of the balanced rocks turned around, his blue eyes widening.

It was Hawkfrost, and his eyes narrowed as he spied the WindClan patrol. He hissed. "Crawl back to the moors. This territory belongs to RiverClan now."

"And who ordered that?" Crowfeather spat back. "Not Onestar, for sure, and he's the only one I answer to."

"Oh, but you don't want to fight us," Hawkfrost meowed, and several of his warriors joined him atop the rock. Crowfeather watched it wobble slightly under the weight. "What if we do?" he snarled. "You won't win."

Hawkfrost leaped smoothly from the stone, dislodging it even further, and padded across to Crowfeather. He leaned forward, his whiskers almost brushing the WindClan cat's muzzle. When he spoke, only Crowfeather could make out the murmured words. "But I will. I have all the fury of my father inside me."

A blind, meaningless rage attacked Crowfeather then, and the next thing he knew he was in the middle of a battle.

**Reviews are appriciated (y'all know it by now)!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Here's the battle chappie! Crowfeather's POV, of course!**

Crowfeather leaped for Hawkfrost, but another RiverClan tom hit him instead. It was Heavystep, another warrior that he had traveled beside to the new home. There was no recognition in the thickset tabby's eyes as he lunged for Crowfeather's throat. Crowfeather dodged, much swifter than any RiverClan cat could ever hope to be, and then turned abruptly and flung himself at Heavystep's side.

The tom yowled as Crowfeather's claws pulled out pawfuls of his fur, and he wriggled free, leaving Crowfeather to stare around for a moment. Everywhere there was fighting, and the warriors were all matched. There was no familiarity after all the Clans had been through- only screeching cats defending their territories.

_Oh well. _Crowfeather sprung in the direction Heavystep had gone, but something slammed into him when he was in the air. It was another RiverClan warrior, black and white with huge hooked claws that gripped Crowfeather tight and hauled him to the ground. Rage hit the WindClan cat and he struggled from underneath the tom. The lean muscles in his legs were useless if he couldn't move!

Blindly, he sank his fangs into the closest thing he could reach- the RiverClan cat's foreleg. The tom yowled and tried to throw Crowfeather off, but the dark gray cat hung on, his eyes squeezed shut until finally he felt the weight off one of his hindlegs lifted. Immidiately he lashed out, his lightning-fast grace giving him all the advantage he needed. His claws hit the black-and-white tom in the face and the cat retreated, whimpering in pain.

Panting and bleeding from the deep clawmarks in his side and neck, Crowfeather got to his paws. Weaselpaw, his eyes wide with fear and wounds oozing blood from his flank, was darting out of the battle. Hawkfrost was after him, and Crowfeather's anger came back in full force to see the massive tabby fighting the poor apprentice.

Hawkfrost chased Weaselpaw towards the balanced rocks, and Weaselpaw darted under the shadowy space beneath the large thin rock. Crowfeather felt a prickle of satisfaction- one of the WindClan cats' biggest tricks was to hide and strike from beneath a sheltered place, like an adder.

But Hawkfrost didn't attempt to corner Weaselpaw beneath the rock. Instead he jumped on top of the thin, top stone that was propped against the round, fat one. Crowfeather's eyes widened in horror as the top rock wobbled, and he drew breath to cry to Weaselpaw as the flat, heavy stone beneath Hawkfrost's paws shook and then fell down in the other direction from where it had been leaning. Where Weaselpaw had been hiding.

"No! Weaselpaw, _no_!" Crowfeather howled, leaping forward. He saw a flash of brown fur and felt a surge of hope, but then the gap closed. Weaselpaw, only his head and shoulders out of the rocks, let out a horrible cry of pain and fear as his back half was smashed by the heavy stone. There was a sickening crunch, and Weaselpaw's muscles went slack. He didn't make another sound.

Webfoot exploded out of the battle to his apprentice's side. "Weaselpaw! Weaselpaw!" He meowed the name again and again, but Weaselpaw's amber eyes fluttered shut, and blood bubbled out of his open mouth. He gave a violent thrash, and then gave up. Blood seeped out of the rocks as he went completely limp.

The WindClan cats came forward slowly, silently. The RiverClan cats stayed back, forgetting their battle in their surprise and horror at the death. Thistlepaw nudged Nettleclaw miserably, and Goldheart's pretty head was bowed.

Then Hawkfrost, who was still standing upon the rock, bounded forward. He headed straight for Crowfeather and hissed in the WindClan cat's face. Crowfeather looked up. He couldn't manage to remain calm, and his claws unsheathed. "Get out of here, Hawkfrost," he snapped. "This battle is over."

"Over? Then you forfeit to RiverClan?"

Crowfeather hissed from between clenched teeth. "We'll finish this another time. Now get out of here, or we'll chase you off."

Webfoot dashed out from beside Weaselpaw to Crowfeather's side, snarling in agreement. "Get off our land, rogue!"

Fury flashed in Hawkfrost's expression, but he didn't dare attack with Crowfeather and Webfoot both ready to rip him to pieces. "All right. But we'll return. The balanced rocks _will _belong to RiverClan, I promise you."

He leaped away, and his warriors followed. But one apprentice lagged behind- her name was Stonepaw, and Crowfeather remembered her from the journey to the new home. She looked at Weaselpaw's body, and then met Crowfeather's eyes. The young apprentice dipped her head in silent respect to the dead cat, and then she followed her Clanmates.

Crowfeather watched her go, registering dimly that not all cats had forgotten the alligences between them during thier journey. But as he looked back at Weaselpaw's lifeless body, Stonepaw's gentle face was replaced by Hawkfrost's cold, flashing eyes. He had been standing on the rock when Weaselpaw had fallen on it. He had unbalanced it so it would fall.

And, thinking of how eager he had been to get back to the battle, how he had shown no remorse when he had seen that Weaselpaw was dead, Crowfeather had a horrible feeling that he had done it on purpose.

&&&

The mood was grim that night at the WindClan camp. Weaselpaw's death had been a crushing blow to them all. Onestar and Ashfoot were talking outside the Clan leader's den, their conversation puncuated by the deputy's hacking coughs. Webfoot and the apprentices, as well as Weaselpaw's mother Puddlefur held the apprentice's vigil in the middle of the clearing, though that hadn't even been able to drag his body out of the rocks. The most they were able to do was cover the exposed part of him with earth, and Crowfeather knew that he would be afraid to hunt at the balanced rocks forever after today.

Finally, unable to watch it anymore, he slid out of camp. It was dangerous to meet Leafpool two nights in a row, but he was willing to take the risk, if it meant that he could escape for a while.

&&&

Leafpool nudged his wounds gently with her nose as he told her the story of all that had happened. "You should put marigold on them," she meowed. "And stop running halfway across the moors to come see me. You're only going to reopen them."

"I'll be all right," Crowfeather objected, shuffling his paws. Leafpool looked at him. "I know you will."

She sat back and listened with wide eyes as he told her what had happened to Weaselpaw. "And...and Hawkfrost was standing on the rock?" she mewed at last.

Crowfeather touched his muzzle to hers. "He was," he meowed sadly. He lifted his head up and studied Silverpelt. All at once his soft blue eyes hardened to ice. "Not only that, he did it on purpose, Leafpool. I know he did. And you know what's worse? He got away with it."

**That was the first death I did in this fic, and I'd like some feedback. You know what that means...**

**...Reviews are appriciated!**


	8. Chapter 7

**Leafpool's POV, and thanx for all the reviews:**

After making Crowfeather promise not to injure himself further by coming to see her so often, Leafpool set off back for home. His news disturbed her. After what had happened with the rogues, she had been more willing to trust Hawkfrost. But she had just been proven wrong. After all, what sort of cat murdered an innocent apprentice in a border fight?

_Tigerstar would. _That thought frightened Leafpool more than anything, and though she reached her nest again with plenty of the night to spare, it was a long, long time before she finally slipped into dreams.

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"What's troubling you, Leafpool?" It was Squirrelflight. Leafpool looked up from the mouse she was chewing, taking her time before swallowing. "Nothing. What made you think something was?" She tried to keep her nervousness out of her tone.

"Oh, I don't know...it's just that you've been so distant lately. Different. I thought something might be bothering you."

"No, of course not. I would tell you if there was." Leafpool's heart pounded painfully inside of her at her lie, but she knew it was a lot easier than telling her sister the whole truth. What would Squirrelflight think if she knew about her and Crowfeather? What would _Firestar _think?

Squirrelflight looked at her thoughtfully, stretching out her tail to touch Leafpool's flank. "If there _was_ something, you would tell me, wouldn't you?" she meowed.

"Of course." Leafpool shuffled her paws, feeling so terrible that it seemed impossible Squirrelflight couldn't feel it too. But her sister was already turning away. "I said I'd meet Brambleclaw..." she mewed. Her eyes brightened at the mere mention of the tom, and Leafpool forced out a purr. "So things are all better between you two?"

"Yes," Squirrelflight meowed happily, and then suddenly paused. Clearly she was realizing that Leafpool- as far as she knew- wasn't aware of all that had gone on between the two of them the night of the rogues and Hawkfrost. "Well, you know, he apoligized, and I saw what he meant all along."

_Yes, he was trying to protect you. He loves you. _Leafpool completed what she knew must be going through her ginger sister's mind as Squirrelflight got to her paws. "He's great, you know?" she meowed. "He's a good warrior. And he's smart. And sweet. And he really cares about things."

Leafpool's mouth opened, and she knew she was about to spill everything about Crowfeather, despite the consequences. But Squirrelflight turned away and bounded across the camp before she had a chance, and Leafpool was left with her tail and head hanging, so much left unsaid.

&&&

Sorreltail, the only one she could speak to, wasn't particularly supportive. "If it's so difficult, just _end it_, for StarClan's sake," she meowed as she sat with Leafpool in the corner of the camp. "It's never going to work out. And think of all the rules your breaking!"

"I do think of them," Leafpool meowed defensively. "But I can't just stop seeing him. What if someone said the same thing to you about Brackenfur? Would it be that easy?"

Sorreltail considered it, and then shook her head so swiftly that her ears flapped. "But Brackenfur's not a WindClan tom, and I'm not a medicine cat!"

"And that's the only difference!" Leafpool hissed back, and she bounded away in frustration, stopping just in time so that she didn't slam into Firestar, who was speaking with Sandstorm and Graystripe over beneath the Highledge.

"What do you think about WindClan?" her father was mewing. "If RiverClan is planning on attacking them..."

"We can't spring in to help them again, Firestar," Graystripe meowed. "From what I hear, we've done that enough lately. Onestar's their leader. He should be able to run his own Clan."

Sandstorm nodded. "Most of WindClan won't thank us for charging into their territory again."

Firestar nodded in acceptance. "It is newleaf. They should be strong enough to defend themselves."

"Of course they will be." Graystripe butted his friend in the side with his muzzle. "Remember when we took them back home, in the old forest? Tough cats if I've ever seen them!"

"And even if they weren't strong enough-" Sandstorm fized her mate with wide green eyes- "that doesn't mean we should help them, anyway."

Leafpool backed up, her ears flat. None of the rest of her Clan knew about Weaselpaw's death, or the fight at the balanced rocks. That meant they didn't know about Hawkfrost either. And Leafpool couldn't tell them, at the risk of revealing her own secret.

There were spiders that spun webs in the corners of hers and Cinderpelt's cave den. They were delicate things; silver in the morning dew, fragile like dried leaves.Leafpool was beginning to think of her own life like one of those webs, and with each new lie, secret, or realization, she was becoming more tangled up.

'**Tis short, I know. I'll update soon, but for now:  
**

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	9. Chapter 8

**This chappie IS longer, as promised. More action, too. Brambleclaw's POV!**

Brambleclaw could smell preyscent on the breeze, could see the new buds blossoming on the trees. The bushes around him were sprouting glossy green leaves, and the wind that swirled round him was warm.

_Newleaf's here. Finally. _He thought as he walked through the heart of ThunderClan territory. He wasn't hunting or patrolling- but there was a reason he was here. He just couldn't remember it yet.

"This place is beautiful, isn't it?" The mew made him stop in his tracks. Brambleclaw swung his head around. He didn't know the speaker, but somehow he wasn't afraid or wary. He scented the air, and all he could smell was ThunderClan.

"Who's there?" he meowed.

"Oh, you don't know me. And I don't know you- not really. But I knew a cat that looked like you, a long time ago."

Brambleclaw froze as a small tom strolled out into the open. Despite his size, he held a grace and wisdom about him that was enviable. His dark fur was a smooth mixture of reds, browns, and gold that sparkled with dew. It wasn't until Brambleclaw saw the ginger tail that waved behind him that he realized who it must be.

The tom fixed Brambleclaw with clear amber eyes, and the tabby fancied he saw starlight in their depths. "Recognized me, have you? That's good."

"You're...Redtail," Brambleclaw rasped. "The cat that-"

"Your father killed." Redtail stared at him. "No point in denying it. Tigerstar murdered me, at Sunningrocks. A long, long time ago."

"I- I'm...sorry," Brambleclaw stuttered, his paws prickling with his own embarrasement, shame, and wonder.

"What for? _You _didn't do anything." Redtail cocked his head. "It was your father. Tigerstar."

"But he killed you!" Brambleclaw meowed. "And made himself deputy because of it!"

"Still, if he hadn't, and if Ravenpaw hadn't seen it, and if he hadn't told Firestar, Firestar would have never suspected Tigerstar of anything. And it would have all unraveled from there." Redtail flicked his ears. "When you think about it, Brambleclaw, my death wasn't the worst outcome. The worst...well, no one will ever know, I suppose."

With that, he turned and walked away. Brambleclaw followed him without thinking. He was in the middle of a dream, he knew it by now, and StarClan must have something to say to him. But quite apart from that he felt a natural awe of Redtail, this cat that was so smart, so quick, that he was able to appriciate the good of his own death.

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Redtail was as fast as an adder, and Brambleclaw followed him, feeling awkward and lumbering as he forced his way noisely through the undergrowth that Redtail somehow walked through without a sound. Finally they reached an unfamiliar rise that Redtail paused on, turning to look at Brambleclaw.

"Go on," he meowed. "StarClan has plenty to say to you."

Shivering, Brambleclaw made it the rest of the way up the hill. Once he had cleared it, he could look down into the waiting valley. Line upon line of cats sat there, each one like a unique star in the sky. Their eyes sparkled with wisdom, and snowflakes shone on their pelts. At the front, Brambleclaw spotted cats he knew so well that their names rose in his throat.

"Dappletail! Hollykit! Larchkit! Shrewpaw! And..." he paused before voicing her name. "Feathertail."

The silver she-cat broke from the ranks to meet him on the hilltop. "Hello, Brambleclaw," she meowed in her soft, familiar mew. "It's good to see you again. You led Stormfur and the others back home well, and I thank you for that."

"Do you..." Brambleclaw spoke awkwardly, "Do you want to hear about Crowfeather? Did you watch him be made a warrior? He held his vigil for you, every night we spent with the Tribe."

Feathertail looked away, and there was a misty look in her blue eyes. "There are others that watch Crowfeather now," she admitted with a flick of her ears. Brambleclaw was confused, but before he could ask another cat began to make her way up the hill, a tomcat just behind her. Brambleclaw dipped his head in recognition. "Bluestar!"

"Greetings, Brambleclaw," meowed the she-cat, a shimmer of welcome in her sky-colored eyes. She turned her head to look at Feathertail, who nodded and padded back down the rise. Then Bluestar turned her muzzle to the cat beside her, a cat whose thick golden fur gleamed like sunlight. "This is Lionheart. He was once a deputy of ThunderClan."

Lionheart nodded to Brambleclaw, and then looked at Redtail, who had appeared at the dark tabby's side. "You brought him."

"How could I resist a chance to speak to him?" Redtail asked with a twitch of his whiskers. "Though I suppose it'll be a while before all I've told him makes sense."

Bluestar studied him before looking back at Brambleclaw. "There are two reasons why we have come to you now. For one, we wish to thank you. You have led the Clans to their new home. You never wavered in your duty, no matter what horror you faced and what uncertainties lay ahead. You, the leader of the band of six, did what some Clan leaders could not imagine."

Brambleclaw bowed his head at her praise. "It wasn't just me," he mewed. "Squirrelflight and Tawnypelt, and Stormfur and Crowfeather helped too. And Feathertail." He looked over at the silver she-cat, who twitched her tail in acknowledgement.

"Yes, they helped," Bluestar agreed. "You all did brilliantly. StarClan chose the right cats."

Lionheart beside her nodded, and then his eyes darkened. "Brambleclaw, there is another reason why you are here. We speak to you now from the experiance of carrying a Clan on our shoulders."

Redtail lifted his chin. "There is more to being a leader, Brambleclaw, then giving orders. So much more."

"And more to every cat," Bluestar went on, "Then what they say. Be careful where you lay your trust. For there are cats in the forest with shadows in their hearts, and minds confused with what they have heard and what truly was."

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes. "Hawkfrost?" he meowed. "Do you mean Hawkfrost?"

"Be careful where you lay your trust. And remember Leafpool's warning, Brambleclaw. For that prophecy has yet to come to pass. And too, keep in mind that there are some battles where not everyone can escape alive..."

It was all three cats that had spoken to him then, and Brambleclaw leaped to his paws as their wise gazes faded away. He yowled to them to stay, but, as usual with the cats of StarClan, they left him alone, more confused then he had been to begin with.

**Is it just me, or does Redtail's description remind anyone else of Spottedleaf? Was he her father, maybe?**

**Anyway, reviews are appriciated, thanx!**


	10. Chapter 9

**Still Brambleclaw's POV. Thanx for all new reviews, and here comes the new chappie...**

Brambleclaw spent the first day after his dream wondering about the whole ordeal, before he finally just decided to ask Leafpool about it. Quite apart from needing to ask her about the prophecy she had heard, that Bluestar had mentioned, he wanted a word with the medicine cat, who had such a calm faith in StarClan that he could only admire.

He didn't know her particularly well, despite her being Squirrelflight's sister. He knew that she was close with Squirrelflight- though that closeness, the ginger sister had confined, had been slipping away ever since Squirrelflight had decided to go to the sun-drown place, all those moons ago. She had also found the Moonpool, and there was a mysterious wisdom about her that came only from having a close relationship with their warrior anscestors.

She was sitting near the Highledge when he found her around sunhigh, grooming her fur. He sat awkwardly down beside her. "Hi, Leafpool."

She looked up distractedly. "Hi. Are you looking for Squirrelflight?"

"Er...no," Brambleclaw meowed. "I- I was wondering if I could ask you something."

Her head jerked up and she looked at him, alarm flashing in her eyes. "What? What about? I..."

Brambleclaw was confused and surprised by her defensive reaction, and meowed quickly, "It's nothing, really, it's just...I had a dream."

Leafpool's fur lay flat, and she took a breath. "Oh. Well, what about?"

"It was from StarClan," Brambleclaw confessed. "I saw Bluestar, and Redtail, the cat that Tigerstar killed, and Lionheart, who was-"

"An old deputy, I know," Leafpool interrupted. "Firestar told me about him. He said that he was very wise."

"He was," Brambleclaw agreed, remembering the magnificent golden tom. He launched into a description of the rest of his dream. Leafpool listened silently, her whiskers quivering, her amber eyes swimming with thoughts. Finally, when she finished, she murmured softly, "Bluestar mentioned the prophecy. I don't know what it means, but StarClan told me, when I was made a full medicine cat: _Before there is peace, blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red._"

Brambleclaw shivered, and stared at her, hoping that she could offer some interpretation. But she only shrugged. "Cinderpelt doesn't know either. She says that it will all make sense when we need it to, and not to worry before then."

"How can I help worrying?" Brambleclaw demanded. "I've had enough dreams from StarClan to know that they're important."

"I didn't say it wasn't important," Leafpool meowed patiently. "Only that there's no sense troubling yourself with something that you aren't going to be able to do anything about. There are...other things...to worry about instead."

"What else?" Brambleclaw wondered, but Leafpool had turned away. As she got to her paws, Brambleclaw caught her eye one more time, and the uncertain, wavery look he saw was so disturbing that it was he, this time, who turned away.

&&&

Brambleclaw thought that maybe he should tell Firestar about his dream. But what would he say? And what if Leafpool had already told him?

What about Squirrelflight? Should he tell her, as well? She wanted to know what was going on, but Brambleclaw knew, however much he loved her, that the impulsive she-cat would be little help in this type of situation.

Helping Birchpaw and Sunpaw bring in fresh-kill a few days later, he took a rabbit to the nursery for Sorreltail and Ferncloud. The pale gray she-cat had decided that, instead of going back to the warriors, she would spend her moons keeping Sorreltail company and then help her with her litter once it arrived.

The tortoiseshell queen was outside as Brambleclaw padded over with his prey, affectionately flicking Brackenfur with her tail as he padded away for a patrol. She pricked her ears as Brambleclaw approached.

"That rabbit's for me, I hope," she meowed. "I'm feeding more than one mouth!"

"Good thing it's newleaf," Brambleclaw meowed, narrowing his eyes mischeiviously. "A litter of Sorreltails to feed in leaf-bare?"

"The horror!" Squirrelflight purred, padding up behind him. Sorreltail took a swipe at her, though her eyes were gleaming.

Squirrelflight touched noses with Brambleclaw in greeting. "Cinderpelt's had me on my paws all day," she commented. "She wanted me to help her find some really bad-smelling herb by nightfall."

"Why didn't Leafpool go?" Sorreltail asked.

"Cinderpelt couldn't find her. She's been out a lot lately." Squrirelflight's voice was light, but Brambleclaw caught the worry for her sister in her mew.

Sorreltail shook her head hurriedly. "A medicine cat has things to do, I suppose," she meowed hastily. Brambleclaw looked at her quizzically, wondering if she knew more than she was telling, but Sorreltail plowed on, "What does Cinderpelt need some herb for today, anyway? No one's sick; thank StarClan!"

"But she wants to have it. She and Leafpool will be gone all day tomorrow. To the Moonpool!" Squirrelflight's bright green eyes sparked with anticipating wonder, as if she was going herself.

"That's right. It's the half moon tomorrow." _But why didn't Leafpool tell me when I spoke to her? _The question pounded through Brambleclaw's mind. Why hadn't Leafpool assured him that she would be seeing StarClan soon, and therefore might be able to tell him more about his dream?

With a flash he remembered the distracted worry in her eyes when he had spoken to her. He hadn't known what she had been worried about then, but maybe he did now. Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, his musings making him uncomfortable. Why would Leafpool, the cat that had more faith than any other in StarClan, be afraid to speak to her warrior anscestors?

Brambleclaw looked around the clearing, his eyes landing on the young medicine cat, just sliding back into camp. Words formed silently on his tongue, and he was careful not to let them out. _What have you done, Leafpool, to make you fear StarClan?_

**Poor Leafy! I HATE writing her like this...sniff. I have to go cheer myself up by writing the next chappie (from her POV, btw!)**


	11. Chapter 10

**New chappie, finished at approximately 1 AM. Leafpool's POV, as promised. **

Leafpool and the other medicine cats were already waiting when Mothwing appeared at their meeting place for journeying to the Moonpool.

"It's about time!" growled Barkface.

Littlecloud flicked him with his tail. "Don't go unsheathing your claws," he meowed. "It isn't as if StarClan is going to fall asleep waiting for us."

Cinderpelt purred with amusement as she got awkwardly to her paws, stretching her injured leg to prepare herself for the long trek. Leafpool took the lead in her place, Icepaw hopping along just behind her.

The tabby's pawsteps were slower than normal. For the first time ever, she wasn't excited about her trip to see StarClan. Would her warrior anscestors even speak to her, after what she had done? She looked nervously at the sky but saw nothing beyond the stars of Silverpelt, shining innocently against the blackness.

Icepaw looked at her curiously. "What's wrong?" he meowed. "Aren't you glad to be speaking to StarClan?"

"Of course I am," Leafpool meowed, looking ahead. "But that's no reason to get excited about it. StarClan's always there- it's just that tonight we'll be seeing them as well as they see us."

Icepaw flicked his ears as if absorbing the wisdom in this comment, and Leafpool was relieved that he had believed her half-truth. There was no way she could tell him the real reason why she was so subdued.

Then Icepaw looked up as well, peeking curiously at the starry warriors in the sky. "_Is_ StarClan always there?" he wondered. "If they are, how come they don't stop bad things from happening? Like Weaselpaw-"

He stopped short, realizing what he'd revealed, but Mothwing appeared behind him. "It's all right," she meowed. "You can tell Leafpool about it. We're all medicine cats here."

Icepaw quaveringly told the story of what had happened at the balanced rocks. Leafpool listened, hoping that she did a well enough job of pretending she'd never heard the story before, even though Crowfeather had told her the whole thing. When Icepaw got to the part about Weaselpaw's death, Mothwing interrupted, alarm flashing in her eyes. "Hawkfrost didn't stand on the rock when it fell. It was wobbling before then. Weaselpaw was foolish to go under it."

"That's not what Webfoot said," mewed Icepaw, looking at her closely. Mothwing shook her head. "Hawkfrost wouldn't lie like that."

_Would he? _Leafpool thought, remembering the rogues, Crowfeather's own version of the tale, and the tabby cat's vicious dreams of grandeur. And what about Brambleclaw's warning? It had sounded like Bluestar had been telling him not to trust his half-brother.

Icepaw seemed to give up the argument, and only looked down, his small shoulders hunched. "I wish I could have been there," he confessed. "I might have been able to save Weaselpaw. If we could have hauled him out of the rocks sooner-"

"No." Leafpool cut him off before he could even think up a scenario. "There's nothing you could have done. If he was really trapped by that boulder, he would have been hurt too badly inside."

Icepaw scuffed a paw on the soil. "But I'm a medicine cat," he mewed. "I'm supposed to save cats, not accept that they're going to die!"

"Part of saving lives is realizing that, sometime, everyone has to go," Mothwing reminded him gently, touching her nose to his fur. Icepaw looked up at her beautiful face and seemed reassured, dipping his head to them before heading back to Barkface.

"It's hard, your first death as a medicine cat," Mothwing commented quietly. "And it was harder for me, because there was no one there to help me when Mudfur died."

Leafpool murmured a few words of sympathy, and she too remembered the first cat that had died in her time as a medicine cat- Willowpelt. A badger had badly injured her, and there had been little anybody could do by the time the warriors had brought her to Cinderpelt's den. But Leafpool still remembered bringing her mentor cobwebs and different herbs, feverishly trying to help with her minimal experiance. When Willowpelt had given her last breath, Leafpool had felt so helpless. Why hadn't she, the medicine cat, have been able to do anything?

Cinderpelt had told her about her first death, too- Silverstream, Graystripe's RiverClan mate. Cinderpelt had been the one to deliver her kits, and had done all she could to help the queen with her too-early birth. She had saved Stormfur and Feathertail, a great feat itself, but Cinderpelt had confined that she had never completely stopped blaming herself for the pain Graystripe and his kin had had to suffer after that day.

Leafpool shook her head free of bad memories, instead focusing on the path in front of her. Mothwing was doing the same, but Leafpool suspected she must be remembering Mudfur and her shortened training with him. Did she still regret the loss of her mentor? Did she blame herself for not being able to save him?

Then her thoughts wandered to Mothwing's awful secret- that she did not believe in StarClan. Leafpool's eyes widened as she looked to her friend. _Does Mudfur still watch over you? _she wondered. _Does he even bother, when you don't believe that he's still there?_

&&&

Leafpool nervously approached the banks of the Moonpool. Around her, Littlecloud, Cinderpelt, Barkface and his apprentice, and even Mothwing had dipped their heads to drink some of the icy water. Leafpool paused for a moment, staring into the depths of the pool that rippled as more water splashed from the crack above. Her reflection shimmered and changed, and for a moment it looked as if Crowfeather's long, short-furred figure was peering at her.

"We haven't done anything wrong, Leafpool," he pointed out gently, and then bared his teeth, his eyes flashing. "And I'll tear any cat apart that comes between us- StarClan or not."

A purr rose in Leafpool's throat at his typical ferocity, but his image was already fading away, leaving her alone to throw herself at the paws of StarClan. The medicine cat swallowed, and then dropped her head to lap water from the pool that she had discovered herself, not so long ago.

&&&

Leafpool floated through nothingness for a few heartbeats before her paws found the grass again. She stood and looked around her, blinking. It was still night, and she remained in the hollow of the Moonpool. But it was empty now, and she could not see nor scent any other cats around.

Carefully, Leafpool made her way to the small pool, peering into it. Reflected starlight shone at her, but soon the water's surface swirled into new images, just as it had done before. This time, however, she did not see Crowfeather. Two silver cats were peering at her, each a copy of the other, their bright blue eyes sparkling with understanding and sympathy. _Feathertail and Silverstream._

But as quickly as she recognized them, they were gone, to be replaced by a flat-faced queen with dark gray fur and orange eyes. Yellowfang blinked at Leafpool, and the tabby cat saw pride and spirit in her gaze that she could feel pricking at her own paws.

Next came a younger cat with beautiful dappled fur and clear eyes. Leafpool recognized Spottedleaf right away, and she opened her mouth to greet her, but Spottedleaf's image in the pool was as fleeting as the others. She only dipped her head and then was gone for another cat to take her place.

Leafpool had never seen Bluestar before, but Firestar, Sandstorm, and the elders had described her so many times- broad-shouldered and powerful with her thick blue-gray fur that gave her her name, eyes like slices of the sky in newleaf. She twitched her whiskers at Leafpool, and then she too had disappeared.

Now a new picture blossomed, different from all the others. It wasn't a cat, but a scene, someplace Leafpool knew, but far too fuzzy to see clearly enough to identify. She saw dark shapes leaping across it, heard yowls splitting the air, so furious they made her fur bristle. Two cats leaped at one another in the heat of the battle, and Leafpool caught a glimpse of their eyes- fiery, but yet so very cold.

"Do you see this, Leafpool?" whispered a voice, soft and whispery, deep with wisdom, belonging to that of all the cats she'd seen in the pool.

"Yes," Leafpool mewed, desperately trying to figure out who the fighting cats were. But before she could they were gone.

"It will come to pass, we promise you. But the outcome...not even StarClan can predict what will happen."

"But don't you know?" Leafpool meowed, gazing down still even though the image was gone.

"By now you must know that StarClan is not certain of everything. And certainly you know that some choices must be made by ourselves alone."

Leafpool lifted her head, thinking of Crowfeather. Then she remembered the yowls of the cats in the pool. "Do you know who they are?" she asked.

"Leafpool, you must remember all past warnings. And also know, for the sake of all others, that there are far worse things than hunting in the stars."

Leafpool's tail twitched, and then the cats she had seen one by one before reappeared, this time side by side. They stared up at her with a mixture of empathy and support and amusement. One by one, they dipped their heads, and when Leafpool spoke she knew they were speaking about something else entirely then what she had seen in the Moonpool.

"We honor you, Leafpool, in our secret hearts," mewed Spottedleaf, lifting her muzzle and purring. "For you have only done what was needed. Not for StarClan, not for the forest- but for yourself. And one other."

Leafpool knew she spoke of Crowfeather, and she felt a warmth spread through her as she realized that StarClan had not left her, despite what she had done. She listened silently as Bluestar spoke. "You have followed your heart, Leafpool. Some among us have done that. And some of us-" She sighed and looked towards Spottedleaf. "Some of us still dream of what would have happened if we had."

**Anyone catch why I chose those specific cats for Leafpool to see? It's surprising how much forbidden love there was, if you think about it.**

**Anyway, reviews are appriciated! (Still, saying it, Nightwind/Waffles-r-after-me!)**


	12. Chapter 11

**New chappie, people! Crowfeather's POV. Also, there's been some discussion over whether Redtail was tortoiseshell or not. It said "tortoiseshell tom" in Into the Wild, so that's what I wrote. Icyeh says that there's no such thing, but Leafheart says their just rare. I don't know- but it does say "tortoiseshell tom" in the book.**

**Suggestion time! Here are some fics that I found especially good:**

**-Nightfall by Twitcherz**

**-The Chronicles of Randomness by Spirithunter**

**-Warriors stuck in a mall! by oddsponge13**

**-The Riddle of Magic by DragonFrog (A Harry Potter fic, btw, and an awesome one at that)**

**-Anything at all by Ravenpelt, whose stories are AWESOME. **

**Note: All of these stories or their authors are in my profile, to save the trouble of sifting through all the fics out there.**

**Now, the chappie...**

Crowfeather's time was divided between Leafpool, Ashfoot, and the Clan. Unfortunately, wherever he was, he always had the sense that he should be somewhere else. Ashfoot got worse everyday, and since Weaselpaw's death, WindClan needed him as a strong warrior. And Leafpool...he wasn't himself when he wasn't with Leafpool.

One rare time he sat at the camp, not hunting or patrolling, not sitting with Ashfoot or slipping off to meet Leafpool. He was sharing a rabbit with Nettleclaw, while Moonfrost lay on his other side, crunching a vole.

Nettleclaw's bright blue eyes were trained on the gorse warriors' den. "Webfoot needs to get his paws moving," he growled. "He hardly gets anything done since the battle at the balanced rocks."

"He's mourning Weaselpaw," meowed Moonfrost. "He was his apprentice, after all."

"That's no excuse to be lazy," Crowfeather pointed out. "All of WindClan needs to have their claws sharp now."

Moonfrost swallowed a bit of vole. "If RiverClan were anywhere near our territory, Webfoot's claws would be ready, I promise you. He'd attack their camp himself if he could."

"Onestar would never let him do that," Nettleclaw mewed dismissively.

"But could Onestar stop him, even if he tried?" Moonfrost looked at the younger warriors with wide eyes. "He's still close with Briarpelt and Nightcloud. What if they tried to attack RiverClan themselves?"

"They'd be killed," Nettleclaw replied promptly. "And Webfoot's not that stupid."

"Not stupid," Crowfeather realized. "Just desperate for revenge. Face it, Webfoot's probably thinking that this is Onestar's fault- he wanted Mudclaw to be leader."

_But Hawkfrost was the one working with Mudclaw, _he thought, _and Hawkfrost killed Weaselpaw. Would he still side with Mudclaw?_

He didn't know, and was grateful when Nettleclaw changed the subject. "How's Ashfoot?"

Crowfeather bit into the rabbit, taking his time as he chewed and swallowed. "She's all right," he mewed. "Still alive, anyway."

He hadn't meant to speak so darkly, but it was true. All that he hoped for now when he visited his mother was to see that she was still breathing. Barkface didn't know what else to do for her.

Nettleclaw put his tail sympathetically on Crowfeather's shoulder, and the dark gray tom turned to look at him. He had shared his apprenticeship with the black tom, though, just like with everyone else, their friendship had changed drastically after his visit to the sun-drown-place. It was good to see that Nettleclaw still remembered the old days.

"She might pull through," the big tom mewed. "She's strong, and the warm winds will help her."

Crowfeather closed his eyes briefly. "I hope so."

The three toms turned to Barkface's den to see Onestar padding out. His ears were flat, and he shook his head at Icepaw as the apprentice mewed something after him.

"Who'll be the new deputy?" whispered Moonfrost. "If she does die?"

That was a question that nagged Crowfeather insistantly. He really didn't know. None of the other warriors had braved Brokentail's exile, BloodClan, and Tigerstar as well as Ashfoot- except for Onestar himself, and Tallstar, and other warriors that had died in one battle or another.

"What will WindClan do without her?" Crowfeather murmured, though it was a lie. Even if Ashfoot did die, WindClan would find some way to continue on, as always. Truly, he himself was wondering what he would do without his mother, his deputy, and the only cat inside WindClan that really understood him.

&&&

Every time he saw Leafpool, she asked him for a description of Ashfoot's condition. He would tell her, and she would reel off a list of herbs that he could try. It was all rather pointless, because there was no way he could suggest them to Barkface without suspicion, but it made him feel better to know that Leafpool, too, was trying to help.

He pressed his muzzle against her cheek one evening, mewing a quiet farewell before dashing back across to WindClan territory, stopping only to pick up the mouse he had caught on his way to meet Leafpool. At least he could get away with the story of only hunting, and maybe the prey would tempt Ashfoot.

His mother wasn't in the medicine cats' den. She had dragged herself all the way out of the cave and lay, exhausted from the effort, at the edge of the rise. Crowfeather hurried over to her, setting his mouse down to speak. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," she managed through her coughs. "I...I told...Barkface...I didn't want to stay in there...any longer. I wanted...to see the sky."

"Oh," Crowfeather mewed. "But why didn't you get a cat to help you up?"

"I don't need help," Ashfoot growled. "And it doesn't matter, anyway. I'm not getting any better."

"You might!" Crowfeather meowed. "Don't say that."

"Why deny it?" Ashfoot asked him, rolling her blue eyes up to look at him. "I'm not afraid of StarClan, Crowfeather."

"And you shouldn't be," Crowfeather meowed, settling down beside her, his nose brushing her fur. "They'll recieve you with honor You fought well for WindClan." He knew there was no point in trying to tell her she was going to get better anymore.

"I hope I did," Ashfoot murmured. She coughed again, and then looked back at Crowfeather. He could see the motherly pride in her eyes. "But not half as well as you, Crowfeather. You did so much for the forest, in your journey for the sun-drown place."

Crowfeather bowed his head, thinking of Leafpool. After what he had done, was he still worthy of her praise? He stared down at her dim eyes, and his tongue loosened as he lost his will to keep it all a secret, not from Ashfoot. Not when he could already see the light of StarClan in her gaze.

"I told you," he mewed, his voice soft so that they wouldn't be overheard, "I told you about Feathertail."

Ashfoot hacked again, then nodded. "You said you cared for her. I understand, Crowfeather."

Speech was causing her a great deal of effort now, and she was splayed out, all her muscles limp. Crowfeather pressed his side against hers. "I did care for her. I still do. But...there's another cat, Ashfoot."

His mother's ears twitched, but she seemed to not have the strength to reply. Crowfeather's pelt prickled. "But she's not from WindClan, Ash- Mother. She's...Leafpool."

"Leafpool!" Ashfoot's rasp was barely loud enough for him to hear, but he still detected the surprise, the disbelief.

"Yes," Crowfeather admitted, staring at her. He swallowed again. "I love her, Mother. I really do."

Ashfoot's flanks were heaving, as if this news had taken even more of her strength away. "You...you were always such a loyal cat, Crowfeather," she panted. "How could you?"

"I don't know," Crowfeather meowed truthfully, willing for her to understand. "I really don't."

"Well, I-" Ashfoot had to stop, her throat convulsing, her breaths short and clipped. Crowfeather watched in alarm until she finally flopped back down, exhausted from the struggle.

"How could you betray WindClan?" she gasped.

"I didn't!" Crowfeather protested. "I'll still fight for my Clan, I'll still be a warrior. But I can't give up Leafpool...I can't!"

Ashfoot studied him bleakly for a moment. She didn't cough, but Crowfeather could sense that she was getting weaker with each quavery pound of her heart. "Promise...promise me something, Crowfeather," she mewed finally. Her voice was as whispery as the wind through the heather.

"Anything," Crowfeather meowed instantly.

"Promise...that you'll make me proud. That you'll do everything that I know you can. You are great, Crowfeather. You are strong, you are fierce, and you are loyal. Even with what you did with Leafpool. You are my son, and promise me that you'll make me proud of you."

Crowfeather was barely able to understand the words as they were ripped out of her, but once she was finished he nodded, putting his head close to hers so that he could smell her familiar kithood scent. "I promise, Mother," he murmured. "I'll do it."

Ashfoot opened her mouth like she was going to reply, but then another coughing fit hit her. After a while Barkface came rushing out of his den to quell her, and Crowfeather watched in a kind of stunned horror as the medicine cat pressed his paws against her chest, trying to stimulate her breathing. He was still watching when Ashfoot's body shuddered, when Barkface gently closed her eyes.

And he was still watching as the cats of WindClan came forward to pay silent tribute, sharing tongues with their deputy for the last time. Some, Nettleclaw and Barkface included, tried to speak to him, but he would not move.

Finally, Crowfeather stirred, lifting himself to his paws and walking over to where his mother held her last vigil. She had died after moonhigh, so Onestar had until the next night to announce her replacement. He and most of the Clan would come out to sit with her soon, but they weren't here now. Onestar was with Barkface, and the other warriors were grouped around the edge of the rise, watching the dark gray warrior pad towards his mother.

"Good-bye," Crowfeather meowed to her still form. "You were a good deputy, a good warrior, and the best mother a cat could ask for. And I'll make you proud."

He sat beside her. His head was lifted to the stars, his fur was flat. His eyes flashed with an understanding wisdom as he felt the pain that he had felt before. No cat had looked more noble, not any cat that was as hurt inside as Crowfeather.

His ears were pricked, as if he were listening for danger. But he wasn't. No, Crowfeather was only listening to the sound of his own heart, as it beat all alone in the dark.

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	13. Chapter 12

**New chappie! Sorry this one took a little longer- I was writing the first chappie for Brownstar and my co-fic, "What If", if you want to check it out. Anyway, still Crowfeather's POV. Here we go...**

When dawn finally came, Ashfoot's body had grown cold. Crowfeather blinked the fatigue out of his eyes- he hadn't slept the night. Neither had Onestar- he could see the brown tabby's fur bristling, his tail twitching back and forth. He had arrived late in the night, along with most of the other warriors and elders. Morningflower lay with her nose buried in her friend's fur, her beautiful eyes closed tightly. Crowfeather couldn't tell if she was asleep, or simply lost in the memories of the queen that she had known for so long.

Crowfeather's limbs were stiff as he stretched. He lifted his gaze to a last shining star in the sky. _What will WindClan do without you to guide, us Ashfoot? _he wondered. _Who will remind us of everything we've been through?  
_

One by one, the other cats stirred, and then a group was organized to bury Crowfeather's mother. The elders hoisted her body upon their shoulders and carried her off the rise silently, warriors hanging behind them to help dig the grave.

Onestar watched them go, Moonfrost at his side. "WindClan will never forget you, Ashfoot," he murmured. "And neither will I, for all you did for me."

Crowfeather approached him carefully. "Onestar," he meowed. "Will you be naming the new deputy soon?"

Onestar looked at him, and his hazy expression made the warrior wonder if he had even given it a thought. "Yes, of course," he meowed finally, and then padded away. Crowfeather thought he was heading for the tree stump that he usually called the cats from, but instead he made for his den and disappeared inside of it.

After a while the cats returned from burying Ashfoot. As the sun slowly rose, they milled around the camp, speaking in anxious groups, pretending that their eyes didn't wander to the leader's den as they awaited Onestar's announcement.

Crowfeather sat outside the warriors' den, his head on his paws. He was tired from his all-night vigil, but in truth it was only grief that made him worry. He hadn't realized how much he would miss Ashfoot.

_Funny how you never realize how much you care until it's too late._

At least he had told her. No matter her reaction, he knew that he would have never forgiven himself letting her die without telling him the whole truth. Her reaction hadn't exactly surprised him- indeed, how could he expect anything else?- but somehow he had imagined that, in her dying state, she would have been able to understand. But she hadn't.

_How could she? I'm betraying the Clan!  
_

That was what went over and over again through Crowfeather's mind. And still, despite that, all he could think of was how much he wanted to see Leafpool.

To distract himself, he swiveled his ears towards the conversation beside him.

"Who will be the new deputy?" wondered Goldheart, wrapping her tail around her paws.

"This is an important decision for Onestar," Morningflower commented in her soft voice. "It's his first real deputy...he hardly had any time to choose Ashfoot, after all. This one will be with a proper ceremony."

"He should pick Crowfeather," Gingerpaw meowed loudly. "After all, _he _was the one that saved us all from starvation."

Crowfeather froze, startled out of his grief. Himself as deputy? There was no way he would ever be chosen! He was too young and inexperianced, to start with. While in WindClan a cat didn't have to have had an apprentice to be made a deputy (the harsher life of the moors toughened warriors more quickly), he had never heard of a deputy being chosen that hadn't.

The cats in the group echoed his own thoughts, but Oatwhisker caught his eye. The elder's old gaze had a twinkle in it, beneath the empty sorrow for Ashfoot. "Well, Crowfeather?" he croaked. "Would you like to be deputy?"

Crowfeather paused. "It doesn't matter what I want," he mewed at last. "I'm not ready. I'm too young. And Onestar knows it. He'd never pick me."

Fogkit, from around Whitetail's legs, lifted her head, young eyes shining. "Why wouldn't he?" she wondered. "You did twice what any other warrior did. And who cares about how _old _you are?"

"She's right, you know," Nettleclaw commented. "Look at her. Five moons, and she's already a bigger pest than any kit before her!"

Fogkit spat playfully at him, which only made the tom purr with laughter, his massive shoulders shaking. The other cats in the group grabbed ahold of this thin joke to fend off their sorrow at their deputy's death, all except Oatwhisker, who turned back to Crowfeather. He inclined his head as if thinking deeply, and the gray-black cat took the time to back away. He didn't want to answer any more questions.

Crowfeather padded across the clearing to the top of the rise. He knew he wouldn't be bothered there. He lifted his head, enjoying the fierce winds that buffeted him in a way that only the WindClan cats could. There was something about the way that the ari moved through his fur that made him feel as if he were flying.

_But I can't, _he reminded himself. _And I'll always be here, where trouble and lies follow me like bad smell does crowfood._

The sky was a pale blue, the same color as Ashfoot's eyes. Crowfeather imagined that his mother was watching him now. Somehow he had the feeling that she really was, and that didn't bother him. Despite how prickly he was, he didn't mind the thought of having a StarClan cat over him.

_But I already have that, _he thought. _Feathertail._

That brought too many thoughts of Leafpool for Crowfeather to fend off, and he was relieved when Onestar came out of his den at that moment. The tabby tom made his way to the wide tree stump. Crowfeather caught his eye, but could not read the expression there. He came flocking with the rest of the Clan to gather below his leader.

Onestar watched them all with a level stare before he began. "WindClan warriors, elders, apprentices and queens," he meowed. "The time has come to appoint a new deputy."

**(AN: I tweaked the ceremony, since I thought it would be different for different Clans. Crowfeather's warrior ceremony was, even if you look past the name thing.) **He paused for a moment, and Crowfeather could almost taste the anticipation in the air. "I will never forget Ashfoot, nor her support during all that happened in the past few moons. I say the new deputy now, knowing that she can hear and grant them the strength and wisdom that we so admired in her." Another pause, during which he took a breath. "I have chosen this cat for their support to me, for their courage and intelligence, for the fire in them that few cats can match." His eyes widened with certainty. "Crowfeather will be the new deputy of WindClan."

**I know, not exactly the hugest surprise ever. But it fits. And btw, I made it so that cats without apprentices can be WindClan deputies, and gave a reason too. So there should be no argument there!  
**

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	14. Chapter 13

**Finally we're back at Leafpool's POV. A bit short, but it has Leafpool&Crowfeather fluff. YAY!**

Crowfeather looked a bit stunned as he padded up to Leafpool a few dawns later. She was waiting in a tiny hollow just inside ThunderClan territory that they frequently met at. A thin moorland stream ran through it, and it was bordered by thick heather and gorse, which was useful. You could hear a cat coming from any number of foxlengths away as long as they had to pad through that.

"What's up?" she meowed, hopping to her paws to come meet him. She saw the flicker of sorrow in his eyes and swallowed. "Is it Ashfoot?"

Crowfeather stiffly inclined his head. "She's dead."

"I'm sorry," Leafpool mewed, her suspicions confirmed. It didn't surprise her. From what he'd told her, it sounded like the leaf-bare cold had been trapped in the deputy's lungs and would not come back out. But she had hoped just as much as Crowfeather that she would be able to get through it.

"Who is your new deputy?" she wondered. "Onestar did choose on time, didn't he?"

"Yes he did." Crowfeather's ears flicked. "But he picked...he picked me, Leafpool!"

For a moment he sounded excited, like an apprentice before their warrior ceremony. Then his eyes caught hers and his fur lay flat, anxiety and disbelief overtaking the pride in him. "I don't get it," he meowed. "I mean, I'm too young! What do I know about being deputy?"

Leafpool recovered from her initial shock enough to speak. "You know a lot about it," she meowed truthfully. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight both say that you were a big help on the way to the sun-drown place."

"But deputy, Leafpool? How can I ever be deputy?" Crowfeather's voice was high-pitched with a fear that she knew he had been hiding for the past few days, since the annoucement had been made.

She bounded forward so that she stood beside him, pressing her side against his. "You'll be great, Crowfeather," she meowed encouragingly. "You're strong and smart- there's no better warrior. I know it, Onestar knows it, and Ashfoot must think so too- from StarClan."

Crowfeather's face was shadowed. "That's the thing," he mewed. "When she was dying, I told her. Everything."

Leafpool blinked. She hadn't expected that. "And...what did she say?"

"She didn't understand. At least I don't think she did. There wasn't much time. But she did tell me that I should make her proud."

The tabby she-cat wrapped her tail around her white paws. "You should listen to her." _Even if it means that you'll give up seeing me, _she thought, though part of her cried out at the thought. She forced herself to go on. "Crowfeather...if you want to stick by the warrior code from now on...I understand."

Crowfeather bowed his head, and Leafpool's tail drooped as she waited for his reply. Her fur bristled, though, when he looked up again, for his eyes were sparkling with laughter, the decision so clear on his face it could have been carved from stone. "Oh, Leafpool," he purred, "How could you ever think that I could give you up?"

"I...I didn't-"

He rested his tail-tip ever so slightly on her head. "You're a part of me, Leafpool," he murmured. "As much as Ashfoot, as much as any of my Clan ever was or is."

"Crowfeather..."

"You are. I love you, Leafpool. And how could I ever let you go?"

&&&

Leafpool looked for Brambleclaw on her way back to camp. It had been a whole half-moon, but she hadn't yet had the time to tell him about her dream at the Moonpool. She had wondered if she even should bother, but after he had told her about his own vision for StarClan she felt the need to return the favor. Crowfeather's news had reminded her of what she had neglected to tell her Clan- about Weaselpaw and the balanced rocks. She didn't want to be keeping anything else to herself.

She found Brambleclaw sharing tongues with Squirrelflight outside the warriors' den and awkwardly padded over. "Um, Brambleclaw, can I speak to you for a moment? Alone?"

Brambleclaw's ears pricked up as if he had a feeling what she was going to speak to him about, but Squirrelflight's eyes flashed indignantly and curiously. "Can't you tell me?"

"Er...it's nothing," Leafpool meowed hastily. "Don't bother yourself with it."

Squirrelflight's tail lashed, but she didn't say anything more as Brambleclaw and Leafpool padded farther away, to a secluded corner of the camp. The dark tabby faced her once they were out of earshot. "What is it? Did StarClan speak to you?"

"At the Moonpool, yes," Leafpool answered, and she rushed into an explanation of the dream she'd had, leaving out, of course, the bits about Crowfeather. Brambelclaw seemed even more perplexed by it than she. "Have you told Cinderpelt?"

Leafpool shook her head. "Not yet."

Brambleclaw sighed, digging his claws into the ground. "Why can't StarClan ever tell us outright what the trouble is?" he wondered. "How does it help any cat, wondering like this?"

"I think..." Leafpool paused, uncertain of what she was going to say, and then went on. "I think it's because they don't know themselves. All they see are these prophecies, and they do give them to us. They help us all they can, Brambleclaw, of course they do."

" 'There are far worse things than hunting in the stars'," Brambleclaw quoted. "Does that mean...does it mean that someone will die?"

Leafpool could only shrug, and he blinked, his ears twitching uneasily. Leafpool felt her eyes narrowing as she was reminded of Mothwing. Though Brambleclaw believed in StarClan- how else would he have ever gone to the sun-drown place at all?- he didn't have that strong, unshakable bond with StarClan that she did.

Perhaps it came from her steady meetings with her warrior anscestors, or just from being a medicine cat. She wasn't certain, but she felt suddenly grateful of this special relationship that came from being a healer for her Clan, no matter the trouble it had caused her.

_Mothwing doesn't believe in StarClan, _she thought. _But does Hawkfrost? Did Tigerstar?_

She had been having a lot of questions like that lately- so easy to think of, so hard to ask, and so much harder to find an answer to.

**Brambleclaw's POV next chappie...**

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	15. Chapter 14

**I'm so sorry for my lack of updating, but my laptop is broken, so I can't type from there. My updates won't be as frequent until I get the problem fixed, just so you all know. But here's the next chappie, Brambleclaw's POV...**

Brambleclaw was prodded awake by Graystripe a few nights before the next Gathering. He had slept late, which was not unusual for the warriors these days- the easy routine of newleaf had lulled them all. Only Leafpool's prophecy and Brambleclaw's own dream hung over the tabby warrior, a cloud in an otherwise clear sky. Leafpool still hadn't told anyone about either dream yet. Brambleclaw shared her want for secrecy; his meeting and advice from Lionheart, Bluestar, and Redtail seemed private, somehow. But Leafpool was the medicine cat. Wasn't it her duty to share what she learned from StarClan with them all?

But Brambleclaw didn't dwell on it too much, if only from the realization there was nothing he could do. He let himself join the rest of the Clan in the quiet joy that they were finally back to normal- no traveling, no Twolegs, and no murderous, plotting cats behind them.

"Brambleclaw, wake up, you lazy furball!" Graystripe growled good-naturedly. "I'm to get all the rest of you on your paws before I head off on the morning's patrol. Sootfur, Rainwhisker, are you coming?"

The brothers lifted their heads instantly and nodded. As they got to their paws to join the deputy, Brambleclaw asked, "Will you take Birchpaw with you? It'll be good experiance for him."

"And a good workout for us," groaned Sootfur. "From what I hear, he's an enthusiastic little cat."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Graystripe twitched his ears at him. "It's nice to have _someone _around here that doesn't think that lying in your nest all day is part of the warrior code."

Rainwhisker rolled his dark blue eyes. "Sure, Brambleclaw. We'll take him."

They padded out of the den, Graystripe leading, Sootfur and Rainwhisker behind. The brothers were rarely apart, despite how different they were. Sootfur was sharp and swift, a great warrior, if a rashly thinking one. Rainwhisker was more careful, and he had an experianced wisdom about him reminiscent of his father Whitestorm, who had died when he had been only a kit.

Brambleclaw nodded after them and then glanced around the den. He caught sight of Squirrelflight's bright ginger fur in the other corner. He padded over and brushed her ear with his muzzle to wake her up. "Hey," he meowed. "Want to go hunting together? Birchpaw's out on patrol."

Squirrelflight jumped up at once, her green eyes flashing with eagerness. Brambleclaw wondered if she'd been feeling a bit neglected lately, since he'd been so busy with his first apprentice. Brambleclaw _had _been spending a lot of time with Birchpaw, helping him to perfect his stalking and hunting. They'd be starting fighting training soon, and Brambleclaw felt a prick of pride to think that he may fight beside the young cat one day in battle.

"Let's go," Squirrelflight meowed, shaking the moss off her pelt. "Unless you want to sit around and wait for some stupid mouse to come walking into camp."

Brambleclaw flicked her with his tail. "We'll grow cobwebs in between our claws if we wait that long.."

Squirrelflight twitched her whiskers. "Well, we'd better get going then."

&&&

Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight raced each other through the forest, towards the ShadowClan border. They skidded to a halt as they neared the pines, their breath coming in short puffs. Squirrelflight recovered first, and her orange fur bristled as she looked around. "Right, where's the prey?"

"It's as if you think the voles are going to amble over and sit down on your paws," Brambleclaw teased, and she reached over and tugged his tail with her paw before falling into the hunters' crouch. Brambleclaw mirrored her stalk, his tail lashing around his legs as he scented the air. His amber eyes flashed as he picked out the fresh smell of shrew, and the hunt began.

&&&

The two young warriors were tottering under their catch of prey when they came back into camp at sunset. Brambleclaw dropped his catch in the pile, and Squirrelflight did the same, keeping a rabbit for herself. Brambleclaw chose a sparrow for his meal and then followed her over to a cleared place of the hollow- flat stone that the sun reached, so it was always pleasantly warm. It was a favorite place for the warriors to eat, and Cloudtail was already there with Whitewhisker and Brightheart.

"Good hunt?" asked the white tom.

"You bet," Squirrelflight purred.

"It's good that newleaf's finally here," Brightheart commented. Her one good eye looked over her daughter Whitewhisker as if imagining that she was still a kit in the nursery. Brambleclaw was reminded of how much fear they had all gone through, between the Twolegs and the trouble of settling in their new home. It must seem like a miracle to some of them that they were all still here, able to fall back to old routines.

"And Sorreltail's kits will be born before too long," Cloudtail meowed. "StarClan knows we could use some more warriors."

"They'll be kits before they become warriors," Whitewhisker mewed, her green eyes wide with pleasure. "I _love _kits. I can't wait for my own litter!"

"Wait a little while yet," Cloudtail told her, suddenly sharp, and Brambleclaw bit back a purr of amusement to see the impudent white warrior acting like a father.

Whitewhisker ignored him. "What about you, Squirrelflight?" she meowed eagerly. "Do you want kits?"

Squirrelflight's claws dug into her fresh-kill and she looked down, uncharacteristically awkward. "I dunno," she mumbled.

Brambleclaw looked at her, feeling his own pelt prickle at the thought of her having kits one day..._his _kits, maybe?

He shook himself. He was thinking too far into the future, he knew. There was no way of knowing that would ever happen. There was a small part of him that felt excited at the thought. But a greater part of him almost dreaded it. What did he know about being a father?

_If we ever did have kits, _he realized, _they would carry Tigerstar's blood. Just like me. And I wouldn't wish that legacy on any cat._

As his eye caught Squirrelflight's flame-colored pelt, something else occured to him, too. His and Squirrelflight's kits would carry Firestar's blood, as well as Tigerstar's. How could the children of two such bitter enemies ever work out together?

_All the trouble Squirrelflight and I have had...is it a sign from StarClan that we just aren't meant to be?_

&&&

"Graystripe, Sandstorm, Cloudtail, Whitewhisker, Brambleclaw, Squirrelflight, Dustpelt, Ferncloud. Leafpool and Cinderpelt, of course. And Birchpaw. You're to go to the Gathering." Firestar's call from the Highledge made Brambleclaw prick up his ears. He would get to see Tawnypelt again tonight. And Hawkfrost, too. He hadn't seen his half-brother since the incident with the rogues, and he looked forward to seeing how he was doing now.

Squirrelflight padded beside him on the way there. Despite his recent misgivings, Brambleclaw decided that it would be mousebrained to dismiss his feelings for her entirely on the whim that he wasn't even sure was true. Their pelts brushed as they leaped off the log onto the island. The scent of WindClan and ShadowClan was on the air, though not RiverClan yet.

"I'm going to look for Crowfeather and Tawnypelt," Squirrelflight meowed. "Are you coming?"

Brambleclaw opened his mouth to reply, but he was broken off by Birchpaw's excited squeak. "That's ShadowClan scent, right? Does that mean that Toadkit and Marshkit and Applekit are here?"

Brambleclaw looked down at his apprentice. He had secretly harbored the hope that Birchpaw would forget his friends in ShadowClan, but it was clear that he hadn't. "They might be," he meowed. "I'll help you look for them." He glanced over at Squirrelflight. "I'll catch up with you in a bit."

She nodded and disappeared into the throng, leaving Brambleclaw to pad beside his apprentice. Birchpaw's light green eyes were very big as he looked around. "Wow! Look at all the warriors! Is that Tornear, Brambleclaw? And Russetfur?"

"Yes." Brambleclaw gave his ear a quick lick. "I wouldn't go rushing up to some of them, though, if I were you. Older warriors are known for their sharp tongues!"

Birchpaw didn't seem fazed, but he walked along a bit more carefully after that. Brambleclaw lifted his nose to the air, wondering where RiverClan was. It was late already, and he would like to see Hawkfrost before the meeting began.

"Birchpaw!" The young apprentice pricked up his ears delightedly at the call, and a moment later a small tom with long, mottled fur came rushing out of the crowd, bowling over the ThunderClan cat. Birchpaw tussled with the mottled cat for a moment before leaping back up. "Marshkit!"

"Marsh_paw_ now," corrected Marshpaw with pride. "Toadpaw and Applepaw, too."

"Are they here?"

"Yeah! Applepaw's been dying to see you. And all three of us wondered how you were getting on." Marshpaw's yellow eyes widened. "But you look all right. For a ThunderClan cat."

"And you look fine too. For a frog-eater." Birchpaw purred with laughter, and Brambleclaw felt his tail curl up in amusement. That was the first time he had ever heard a cat deliver a poke at the ShadowClan cats' habits without getting their ears ripped off.

"Hey, Birchpaw!" Now Toadpaw and Applepaw scrambled out to meet the ThunderClan cat. Brambleclaw watched as the four friends circled each other, meowing eagerly, showing far more affection than he had ever seen between the Clans- except for how it had been for him and the other questing cats, on the journey to the sun-drown place.

Was this a good thing or a bad thing, though? He knew that ShadowClan wouldn't welcome such a connection with ThunderClan, and Firestar wouldn't bound to be happy to hear that Birchpaw had such good friends in ShadowClan. But Brambleclaw couldn't help being pleased with the whole thing. Was this a sign that the Clans had indeed come together at some point, and they wouldn't forget it?

"Brambleclaw!" He turned around when he heard Squirrelflight calling his name. The ginger she-cat's eyes were wide with excitement, and Tawnypelt was beside her, as well as Crowfeather, who looked distinctly embarrassed.

"You'll never believe it, Brambleclaw!" Squirrelflight purred. "Crowfeather's the new deputy!"

"Deputy?" Brambleclaw repeated blankly. Crowfeather jerked his head up, a familiar defensive look in his eyes. "Hard to believe, isn't it? Onestar chose me!"

Brambleclaw ignored the cold tone to his mew. "That's...that's great!" he meowed, hishappiness for his friend hitting him at last. "You must be pleased."

Crowfeather ducked his head, but not before they all caught the gleam of pride in his expression. Tawnypelt nudged him. "Don't get too excited, why don't you?"

"It's just...hard to believe," Crowfeather confessed. "There are a lot more experianced warriors- like Moonfrost and Robinwing. They've been warriors much longer than I have."

"Older, maybe," Squirrelflight meowed, "But who could be more experianced than you, who made it all the way through the mountains with your tail still intact?"

Even Crowfeather's whiskers twitched at the light statement. Brambleclaw purred with laughter for a few moments, and then realized that Squirrelflight's statement was almost the same as what Hawkfrost had once said to him. But she wouldn't fancy to know that. She accepted that he was friends with his half brother, but he knew that she still didn't trust him, and probably never would.

"But Ashfoot must be dead, then," Tawnypelt meowed to Crowfeather. "I'm sorry."

Crowfeather lifted his tail. "She was a great warrior," he growled stoutly. "And she was my mother. I'll never forget her."

Brambleclaw touched his tail to his shoulder in a gesture of comfort just as RiverClan appeared, some of them swimming, some of them on the log. Brambleclaw turned his head to look for Hawkfrost, but as he did he caught Crowfeather's eye one more time. The guarded look fell away for a heartbeat, revealing a confused, guilty stare. Brambleclaw blinked, and when he did Crowfeather was the same old Crowfeather again, all traces of that helpless, worried gaze washed away. But Brambleclaw was sure that he hadn't imagined it.

_That doesn't make sense, _he thought, perplexed. _What would Crowfeather- who tried harder than any of us to stay loyal to his Clan- have to hide?_

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	16. Chapter 15

**Another chapter already! I figured I had to make it up to you all after making you wait so long for an update. (And I had the computer for a while, mwahaha.) Still Brambleclaw's POV. **

Brambleclaw went to find Birchpaw just as the leaders began to make their way over to the Great Oak. He didn't want to leave his apprentice alone in the midst of all the cats of other Clans, no matter how comfortable he had appeared.

Birchpaw was sitting beside Applepaw and her brothers still. Cinderpelt, Leafpool, and the other medicine cats had joined them. Littlecloud nodded to Brambleclaw when he spotted him.

"Has Birchpaw told you?" he mewed. "I've taken Toadpaw as my apprentice."

"Congratulations," Brambleclaw meowed down to Toadpaw. The young tom, who was long-furred and mottled like his brother, shuffled his paws modestly. Applepaw darted forward to his side. Unlike her siblings, her pelt was a bright reddish gold, and her eyes were dark amber. "Toadpaw's going to be the best medicine cat the forest has ever seen!" she announced proudly.

Cinderpelt and Littlecloud twitched their whiskers, while Icepaw let out a _mrrow _of laughter. Birchpaw meowed, "Well, _I'm _going to be the best warrior in ThunderClan."

Mothwing rolled her amber eyes. "Ambitious, aren't we now?"

Brambleclaw looked over at her. "Have you seen Hawkfrost? Did he come tonight?"

"Yes." she replied. "I don't know where he is now, though. He said something about wanting to speak to you."

Brambleclaw wondered if he should go look for his half brother, but then the yowl came from the oak for silence, so he sighed and settled in between Leafpool and Mothwing to listen to the leaders' news.

Firestar's green eyes surveyed over them all for a couple of heartbeats. "Welcome, cats of all Clans, to our Gathering. I trust that we are all settling in well. Onestar says he would like to speak first."

The smaller tabby tom immidiately leaped to a protruding branch, overtaking Firestar so that all the cats could see him. Brambleclaw saw the anger in his eyes, and his pelt prickled. He hadn't been with Crowfeather long enough to hear all of WindClan's news. Had something happened?

"A while ago," Onestar began, "One of my patrols caught RiverClan cats at the balanced rocks. We fought them, and chased them out."

There was no satisfaction in his tone, telling Brambleclaw that there was more to come. He glanced at Mothwing; by the way that her ears twitched nervously, he guessed that she knew very well what Onestar had yet to reveal.

"The apprentice Weaselpaw died in that battle," Onestar meowed. "He was crushed in the balanced rocks. He was well on his way to becoming a warrior, and his mentor Webfoot taught him well. Now he hunts with StarClan, and I know that they will honor him for all he did in defense of his Clan."

Brambleclaw's hackles rose in shock. An apprentice dead in a border fight? Onestar said he had been crushed in the rocks, so it wasn't murder, but Brambleclaw's heart thundered just thinking of it.

Mews of sorrow and horror rippled through the cats of ThunderClan and ShadowClan. The RiverClan cats stood rigid, and Leopardstar stared defiantly around as if daring a cat to suggest that the death had been her fault. Onestar paused for a moment before he went on.

"Also, my deputy Ashfoot is dead. The cold winds of leaf-bare were too much for her. She watches us with Weaselpaw now, and the greatest of our anscestors who I am sure welcomed her." He paused to bow his head, and then lifted it, meowing with certainty, "Crowfeather is my new deputy."

It was hard to tell exactly what sort of welcome Crowfeather recieved. The WindClan cat stood with his tail raised, a combination of pride and sorrow for Ashfoot on his face. Brambleclaw saw an unmistakable flash of disbelief in the faces of several cats- obviously they were shocked that such a young and inexperianced warrior could be given such a position. But Firestar, Littlecloud, and a WindClan senior warrior Moonfrost all nodded in acceptance, and a voice that was unmistakably Squirrelflight's called out, "Crowfeather!"

Cinderpelt dipped her head. "Well, I'm not surprised. He's a good warrior." Barkface mewed agreement. Brambleclaw looked over to see if Leafpool agreed with her former mentor, but the young medicine cat was staring directly over at Crowfeather, and he couldn't see her expression.

Then Blackstar and Firestar came forth to relay their own news. As Applepaw and her siblings, and Birchpaw, were announced apprentices, they nudged each other proudly. Brambleclaw couldn't hold back his own tingle of delight at having his name be announced as a new mentor.

Leopardstar came forward last. She looked directly at Onestar. "RiverClan regrets the accident at the balanced rocks as much as WindClan. That territory will stay yours, as long as I am leader."

It was a noble thing to say, and Onestar inclined his head in acceptance. Then Leopardstar's eyes flashed as she looked back over the cats. "However, that doesn't mean that RiverClan won't continue to guard our boundaries."

There were calls of agreement from her Clan, and Leopardstar seemed satisfied as she stepped back. The main part of the Gathering ended as the leaders leaped from their perches to share a few words with members of other Clans before heading back to their camps.

Brambleclaw took this opportunity to look for Hawkfrost. He caught sight of his kin more than once, but he was always flitting in and out of the crowd, stopping for brief words with a variety of cats. Brambleclaw's tail twitched in irritation as Cloudtail sprang over and meowed, "Firestar says we're getting ready to head back."

The tabby warrior shook himself. "All right."

He followed the white tom back to where Firestar and Graystripe were waiting, talking to Mistyfoot and Morningflower, a WindClan elder, as their Clan came towards them.

Then Brambleclaw felt Hawkfrost's cold blue eyes on him. His half brother was heading right towards him, and Brambleclaw opened his mouth to call out a greeting. But Hawkfrost brushed right past him as if he didn't notice him. Confused, Brambleclaw started to call after him, but Hawkfrost's hushed, hissed words made him stop.

"Come back to the island. Tomorrow night."

**Reviews are appriciated, and, btw, the next chapter for My Summary should be up sometime tonight or tomorrow!**


	17. Chapter 16

**New chappie has arrived, via MY NEW LAPTOP -celebrates- Anyway, still Brambleclaw's POV. And many thanks to Dewflower for reading this one beforehand for me and for the great suggestions! **

**I have a request. Dewflower's already read over this chappie (if she still wants to keep pre-reading for me, that's great!)and I'd like someone else to pre-read for me as well as her just to bounce ideas off of. If anyone wants to pre-read for me, pm me. Please include your email if it's not in your profile- it makes it A LOT easier to send documents. (And space the letters so the thing doesn't delete it) .I'll take the first person who asks (plus Dewflower if she wants to keep on doing it.) Please and thanx!**

Brambleclaw sat on a fallen log near the heart of ThunderClan territory. The sun wassinking swiftly through the sky, and he still hadn't decided whether or not he'd agree to meet Hawkfrost tonight.

He had called after his half-brother, who had refused to say any more on the topic. So Brambleclaw had been forced to return to camp, feeling wretched. He hadn't said anything to anyone about it, not even Squirrelflight. He knew that she would only think that Hawkfrost was up to no good.

_And she could be right, _whispered a voice in Brambleclaw's mind.

He sighed. Should he go or shouldn't he? Would he be the only one there, or had Hawkfrost invited others? What was he saying to him that he couldn't say at the Gathering?

A sudden hiss made his ears prick up, and his lips drew back as he recognized ShadowClan scent. A moment later he realized just how familiar the scent was. "Tawnypelt!"

"That's right, just shout for the forest to hear," the she-cat growled as she stepped out of the bracken.

"What are you doing here?" Brambleclaw asked.

"I need to ask you something, and it couldn't wait." Tawnypelt looked carefully around and scented the air to check that there weren't any other cats around before she sat beside Brambleclaw on the log. "At the Gathering, Hawkfrost asked me to meet him on the island tonight-"

"He did?" Brambleclaw meowed in surprise. "He did the same for me!"

Tawnypelt tipped her head to one side. "Why would he do that? It's breaking the warrior code!"

"I don't know," Brambleclaw admitted. "He wouldn't say."

Tawnypelt grunted. "Sounds a bit dodgy, if you ask me."

"He invited you and me..." Brambleclaw trailed off. "Perhaps Mothwing will be there, too, and he wants to talk to us about..."

"About being Tigerstar's kits?" Tawnypelt narrowed her eyes. "Why should we have anything to do with them because of that? You're always complaining about being compared to Tigerstar, Brambleclaw, but you'll go out of your way to talk to Hawkfrost just because of that link? That doesn't make sense."

Brambleclaw's fur bristled, and he said to his sister what he wouldn't say to any other cat: "He understands. Understands what it's like to be like Tigerstar."

"So do I!" Tawnypelt cried. "Talk to me about it, then."

"It's different with Hawkfrost," Brambleclaw insisted.

Tawnypelt reached forward and batted his ear, the same way she had used to do when they had been kits together in the nursery. "You were always as difficult as a tough piece of fresh-kill," she meowed, but affection was laced in her mew. "So you really want to go?"

Brambleclaw stared at her for a moment, and his curiosity and need to support Hawkfrost gave him all the answer he needed. "Yes."

Tawnypelt sighed. "Then I'll go with you."

&&&

Tawnypelt went with Brambleclaw across WindClan territory. Both had been born and raised in forests, and were acutely aware of the lack of undergrowth the moors provided, and missed the feel of sunlight-dappled shadows on their backs. When they reached the log at last Brambleclaw let out his breath in relief without realizing that he'd been holding it.

He put his front paws on the fallen tree. "Hawkfrost?"

"Brambleclaw." The deep answering mew made his ears prick up, and he looked around to see his half brother emerging from the darkness of the recently risen moon. More cats followed him- many more. Brambleclaw's eyes widened as he saw cats of WindClan, RiverClan, and ShadowClan. There was Webfoot, Nightcloud, and Briarpelt, who had been followers of Mudclaw, along with the ShadowClan toms Rowanclaw and Cedarheart and another ShadowClan she-cat who Brambleclaw hadn't met before. There were also several RiverClan cats that he didn't know.

Rowanclaw and Cedarheart padded over to them as they leaped off the log. Tawnypelt flicked her tail at them and mewed to Brambleclaw, "Hawkfrost invited the three of us together."

"So you came, then?" Cedarheart meowed to Tawnypelt; and Brambleclaw was surprised that he couldn't detect any scorn in his tone- from what he'd seen his sister wasn't the most popular of the ShadowClan cats.

Rowanclaw's eyes narrowed as he looked Brambleclaw up and down. "You?" he spat dismissively. "Why would Hawkfrost ever invite _you_?"

Brambleclaw snarled, but Tawnypelt leaped in front of him, her dark green eyes surveying her Clanmates. "Watch how you talk to my brother, Rowanclaw," she growled.

Rowanclaw's hackles rose, but Cedarheart stood in front of him. He was larger than the ginger tom. "Leave it, Rowanclaw," he meowed. "As far as we know, we're all in this together, anyway."

Rowanclaw looked at him in surprise, as did Brambleclaw, but Cedarheart only shot an uncomfortable glance at Tawnypelt and padded away. His Clanmate glared at the brother and sister before he followed.

Tawnypelt was looking after Cedarheart, and Brambleclaw followed her gaze. "What was _that _about?"

"Nothing!" Tawnypelt's ears twitched in embarrassment. "Cedarheart's all right, that's all."

Brambleclaw didn't say anything more on the subject, though he couldn't help thinking that perhaps his sister was having a better time of it in ShadowClan than he had always thought.

"Have you noticed?" whispered Tawnypelt after a moment. "All the cats here- except for you and me- they were all followers of Mudclaw and Hawkfrost."

"It's not surprising," Brambleclaw pointed out, "if Hawkfrost picked them all out."

"But what does he want with us all?"

Brambleclaw could only shrug. The cats were moving around, sharing words awkwardly, their gazes flashing all the while back at the dark tabby cat that had brought them here. Hawkfrost stood near the Great Oak, watching them with something close to pride in his eyes.

"Do you expect us to stay here all night, Hawkfrost?" It was Webfoot, baring his teeth at the tabby warrior. Brambleclaw supposed that he hadn't forgotten what Clan was responsible for his apprentice's death, though he was a little shocked to see the look very close to hatred in his eyes. "We have Clans to attend to."

"Of course you do." Hawkfrost dipped his head. "You are all fine warriors, and that is why I have brought you here."

He perched on one of the Great Oak's roots, not quite in the branches like a Clan leader, but very close. A burly black-and-white RiverClan tom stood at his shoulder, looking like his shadow.

"Gather around," Hawkfrost meowed. "You may be interested in what I have to say."

At that moment Brambleclaw wanted nothing more to return to camp and curl up next to Squirrelflight and go to sleep. There was something wrong with all of this. He glanced at Tawnypelt, who looked as if she felt the same but would rather not let him know. "What else can we do?" she murmured.

They joined the other cats around the Great Oak, with Hawkfrost standing before them, his penetrating blue eyes searching them all. "Just as all of you have done," he meowed, "I have served my leader Leopardstar well, and obeyed her orders without argument. She is far wiser than I am, and I am not afraid to admit it."

"What about what you and Mudclaw did?" asked Tawnypelt.

"That was a mistake." Hawkfrost lifted his head. "I believed I was doing the right thing. I thought that Mudclaw was the rightful leader of WindClan, and as a good warrior I was ready to help him reach his position. But I was wrong, and I knew it when the tree fell on him. StarClan didn't want him to lead."

Despite how uncertain he was about this whole ordeal, Brambelclaw felt the need to say something on Hawkfrost's behalf. "It's true," he meowed. "Hawkfrost saved me from Mudclaw, when he could have let him kill me."

"And Weaselpaw?" Webfoot demanded. "My apprentice died in the patrol that _you _led. You were the one standing on the rocks when they fell on Weaselpaw."

"Another mistake," Hawkfrost meowed, bowing his head even further. "And a worse one, for it caused an innocent cat's death. But I was still only following orders to win the balanced rocks. Webfoot, believe me, I never met for Weaselpaw to die."

Brambleclaw found himself believing his half brother's words. There was the right combination or certainty and modesty, and his light blue eyes never left Webfoot's. Finally the WindClan cat nodded.

"All right, Hawkfrost," he meowed. "What do you have to say to us?"

The tabby stood up tall. "There have always been four Clans," he meowed. "I have never doubted it. But think of all the trouble we have been having. Mudclaw. Border fights. Boundary issues. I know that ShadowClan has a poor section of the forest, and WindClan has to run until their paws drop off for skinny rabbits. It is beyond me how ThunderClan even manages to survive in leaf-bare, while all the forest prey is in its burrows.

"Who decided that the forest should be divided in such a way? Why should we agree to the unfairness of it?" Hawkfrost's eyes gleamed as he looked over the cats.

"What do you want us to do about it?" asked Cedarheart.

"There is nothing we can do. But all this rivalry between the Clans...what is the point of it?" Hawkfrost wrapped his tail around his paws and the black-and-white cat beside him piped up, "_I _can't think of a reason."

"What I suggest is that we meet here," Hawkfrost meowed, "Once every quarter moon. There is a great deal we can all learn from one another, if only we give each other a chance."

"Go behind our leaders' backs?" objected Nightcloud.

"Wasn't this whole journey to find our new home done without the consent of Clan leaders?" queried Hawkfrost in return.

"That was different," muttered Tawnypelt from Brambleclaw's side. She was looking up at Hawkfrost with barely concealed distrust, and he wondered if she was right. Hawkfrost was talking sense...but was he really?

"This is against the warrior code." That was the voice of a ShadowClan cat Brambleclaw didn't know.

"The warrrior code." To his brother's shock, there was a note of scorn in Hawkfrost's growl. "The warrior code was once everything to me. But it was because of the warrior code that I sided with Mudclaw. That I became the best warrior I could be for RiverClan, which made Mistyfoot challenge me. We have never challenged the warrior code. But why can't we? How do we know that the rules are anscestors set down for us are the right path to follow?"

&&&

When the cats left at last, they had all agreed not to say anything about the meeting to their leaders, though they would make the decision themselves whether or not to return the next quarter moon.

"I'm not coming," Tawnypelt meowed stoutly. "This isn't right. Do what you want, Brambleclaw, but leave me out of it."

She touched her nose to her brother's muzzle to take the sting out of her sharp words, and he nosed her in return, feeling that familiar pang of sorrow that she wasn't with him any more in ThunderClan.

Brambleclaw was one of the last to leave the island, as he was the only ThunderClan cat and had no companions to travel with. Hawkfrost and his black-and-white companion were seeing everyone off, meowing a few words to each one before they could depart.

Hawfrost loped up to Brambleclaw and nodded to his friend. "This is Badgerclaw. I told him about the rogues."

Badgerclaw dipped his head, though his eyes never left Brambleclaw, which was rather unnerving, and in the end the tabby warrior turned away to Hawkfrost. "How come you didn't ask Mothwing to come?"

Hawkfrost kneaded the ground with his paws. "She's a medicine cat," he meowed. "She's already got a relationship with the other Clans. And I don't want her to know about these meetings. She has enough to worry about without this as well."

Something flashed in his eyes- worry, almost. Brambleclaw wondered if there was something about his medicine cat half sister that he didn't know, but before he could ask Badgerclaw meowed, "Will you be coming the next quarter moon?"

"Er...I don't know." Brambleclaw's paws prickled nervously. He looked at Hawkfrost and let out the question that he'd been holding. "Why are you doing this, Hawkfrost?"

His half brother blinked, and then his eyes narrowed. "I tried doing things by the warrior code, Brambleclaw. I tried to be a great warrior the normal way. But I always did everything wrong. Maybe if I do it this way- _my _way- it will work out."

**Evil, evil Hawkfrost. Or is he...? **

**Reviews are appriciated! **


	18. Chapter 17

**Here you are. New chappie, Crowfeather's POV. (Finally, I was getting a little bored with writing Brambleclaw.) Thanks very much to my two pre-readers, Dewflower and Ravenpelt. You guys are AWESOME. And now...**

Crowfeather was holding guard when Webfoot, Briarpelt, and Nightcloud slipped into camp as the sun rose behind them. Sniffing the air, Crowfeather realized that they had all given themsevles very thorough washes, very recent. The new deputy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Where were you?"

"Early patrol," snorted Webfoot. "Around the ThunderClan border."

Without waiting for Crowfeather's reply, he padded away. Nightcloud sprang after them and the two vanished into the warriors' den, meowing urgently. Briarpelt followed more slowly, and Crowfeather was both surprised and gratified by the respectful nod he gave him.

Most of the Clan had seemed to accept Onestar's choice in naming him deptuy. No one was as surprised as the gray-black tom had been himself. Crowfeather knew that cats like Webfoot and Nightcloud would doubt his loyalty because of Feathertail and the journey to the sun-drown-place, and because they thought him too young. The new deputy knew that he had a ways to go before he would be as respected as cats like Graystripe or Ashfoot had been.

_But I'll do it,_ he promised himself, the loyalty and ambition that he had always had, since his days as an apprentice, flaring inside him. _I'll be the best warrior that WindClan has ever seen. _

His claws dug into the ground from the strength of his promise, and he looked back towards the camp. He had a feeling that Webfoot hadn't been quite truthful with his explanation of an early patrol. But where else could they have gone?

&&&

Leading his patrol through the moors, Crowfeather found himself enjoying the fresh, windy day. The breeze ruffled his fur and the sky was dotted with puffy clouds that shielded the cats from the hot sun.

Briarpelt followed behind him, his apprentice Owlpaw by his side. Nettleclaw brought up the rear, the muscles flexing beneath his smooth black pelt as he loped across the hills.

As they neared the RiverClan border, Crowfeather paused for a moment to look back. Briarpelt and Owlpaw were sniffing at an old foxhole, and Nettleclaw was just crouching down, signaling wildly to Crowfeather. The deputy lifted his head and caught rabbit on the breeze.

A moment later his keen eyes caught the telltale flash of movement in the heather. The rabbit jerked its head up, long ears raised, and stamped the ground in warning. But the WindClan cats were already upon it. Nettleclaw and Crowfeather raced forward, faster than any other cat in any other Clan. With a mighty leap Crowfeather grasped the rabbit from behind and pulled it towards him, snapping it's neck with a swift bite.

"Nice catch!" Nettleclaw purred. He caught Crowfeather's eye. "It's good to hunt with you again," he commented.

"Yeah," Crowfeather meowed. "Like being apprentices again."

"We would have been made warriors together," Nettleclaw continued, "If you hadn't-"

"Hadn't gone to the sun-drown place?" Crowfeather finished. "But how could I not have gone?"

Nettleclaw's bright blue eyes blinked at him. "How come you didn't tell me?" he meowed at last. "I would have gone with you, you know, like Squirrelflight went with Brambleclaw. We could have been heroes together."

Crowfeather pawed at the rabbit, and he found that his whiskers were twitching. "Trust me, Nettleclaw," he meowed. "I wouldn't wish that journey on any cat."

"That's not the point," Nettleclaw mewed. "You kept it from me. And you're still keeping things from me. Why don't you ever tell any cat what you're thinking, Crowfeather?"

Crowfeather lifted his eyes to meet his friend's. "Because no other cat understands."_ Except Leafpool_, he added silently. He could tell the gentle medicine cat anything.

Nettleclaw looked almost angry for a moment, and then understanding flared in his eyes, as if he knew that he could not get Crowfeather to explain. Reaching over, he gave the gray-black cat a couple of quick licks. "All right, you furball," he meowed. "You're the deputy. And no cat doubts that you'll be a great one, you know. Especially not me."

Crowfeather touched his tail to his old friend's shoulder. "Thanks, Nettleclaw. That means a lot."

At that moment Owlpaw lifted his head from the foxhole. "The scent's stale," he announced confidently. "About three days old, I'd say. And the fox went..." He pointed with his tail- "that way."

"Good." Briarpelt seemed pleased. "Well done, Owlpaw."

"Yes," agreed Crowfeather. He looked at the apprentice thoughtfully. He was still young- when the WindClan cats had been starving on the old moors, Tallstar had been forced to apprentice him early. As the strongest of Nightcloud's kits, he would have the best chance as an apprentice, and not having to care for him gave Nightcloud herself more strength to keep her other kits alive. But despite that he had grown into a strong cat, and the journey to their new home had given him new strength.

Maybe it's time he was made a warrior, thought Crowfeather, and as they set off for home, Nettleclaw carrying the rabbit, he caught up with Briarpelt. "Do you think Owlpaw's ready for his ceremony?"

Briarpelt turned his amber eyes on him excitedly. "Really? Do you think so? Great!"

"So you think he's ready?"

Briarpelt looked thoughtful. "I've taught him everything I know," he meowed. "And all that we've been through..."

"It gives him more experience than some warriors ever get," Crowfeather meowed. "Okay. If you want I'll speak to Onestar about it when we get back."

&&&

"Owlpaw a warrior?" Onestar repeated Crowfeather's request as the leader and deputy sat together at the edge of the clearing. "Yes. I think you're right. Thanks for telling me, Crowfeather. We'll hold the ceremony at once."

He padded out onto the stump, just as the stars appeared. Cats stopped on their way to the fresh-kill pile and instead turned to the gathering place. Owlpaw came with Briarpelt; the young tom's faintly curious expression told Crowfeather that he hadn't yet been warned about what was coming.

"WindClan warriors, apprentices, elders, and queens," announced Onestar, **(AN: Yes, I tweaked this ceremony a bit, too.) **"We are here today to honor an apprentice that has clearly shown himself worthy on holding the name of warrior, and knows the code of our anscestors as well as any cat can."

He looked down at the crowd. "Owlpaw, come forward."

The shock on the apprentice's face slowly turned to delight as he bounded forward, his large yellow eyes gleaming. Onestar stepped down from the stump to meet him. "I, Onestar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior anscestors to look down upon this apprentice. Throughout his training he has pledged himself to live by the code you have set down for us, and now I ask you to honor him for that by knowing him as a full warrior."

He paused, and the ancient words rang round the rise that was WindClan's home. "Owlpaw, do you swear to live by the warrior code StarClan has left for us, to pledge yourself to WindClan and to the good of the forest?"

Owlpaw's tail raised high with pride. "Yes, I do."

"Then, by the authority StarClan has granted to me, I give you your warrior name. Owlpaw, from this moment on you shall be known as Owlclaw. StarClan honors the loyalty and strength you bring to WindClan, as from now on we will know you as a warrior." Onestar rested his muzzle on Owlclaw's head, and he licked his shoulder before bounding over to the warriors.

"Owlclaw! Owlclaw!" The welcoming chorus rose as the cats gathered round to greet him as a full warrior. Crowfeather hung back to say his own few words to Owlclaw once the crowd had cleared, and he ended up beside Webfoot. He could see that the other warrior was fighting back anger and sorrow as he remembered Weaselpaw, and the pride for his apprentice that he would never feel.

"I'm sorry," he meowed quietly. "Weaselpaw deserved to be here, too."

"He did," snapped Webfoot, turning away. "But he isn't."

The way that he turned his back reminded Crowfeather of the morning when he had done the same thing, and it was only then that the young deputy remembered his earlier musings that Webfoot might be hiding something.

**Yes, he is. Well done, Crowfeather. Anyway, reviews are appriciated!**


	19. Chapter 18

**I'm sorry for the long wait, but here it is- the next chappie. Leafpool's POV. Hope you like it!**

Leafpool bent over Sunpaw, her eyes narrow as she gripped the thorn with her teeth. The apprentice squeaked. "Don't go ripping my paw off!"

Leafpool grunted, at that moment plucking the thorn neatly from Sunpaw's pad. "Well, don't you go walking in any more thickets," she retorted, spitting it out. While training with Graystripe, the former rogue she-cat had gotten a thorn stuck in her paw pad, and had visited the medicine cat's den to have it pulled out.

Sunpaw leaped up, testing her paw upon the rock-strewn floor of the den. "That's better," she meowed. "Thanks, Leafpool."

"Yes, well done, Leafpool," meowed Cinderpelt, limping up into the den and setting down the tansy leaves she had gathered. She blinked fondly at her former apprentice. "It seems that I've taught you all you can know!"

Sunpaw dipped her head and bounded away as Leafpool shook her head. "There are still things I don't know," she mewed.

"But StarClan will help you discover them." Cinderpelt lifted her head to the sky as she always did when speaking of her warrior anscestors. "Did they share anything with you at the Moonpool?"

Leafpool sank her claws in the turf as she thought of her dream. "A bit," she admitted, feeling a wave of relief that she would finally have the chance to confide in the gray she-cat, who was so much more experianced than her. "What about you?"

Cinderpelt wrapped her tail around her paws. "Enough for me to know that we haven't all settled down yet," she meowed. "There is still danger in the forest."

Leafpool nodded. "They spoke to me about that as well..." she began. Carefully she described the dream she'd had at the last half-moon, and as she had done with Brambleclaw she failed to mention the comments about her and Crowfeather. But as well as she could remember she told about the fight she'd seen in the pool, and what the cats of StarClan had told her about them.

"Far worse things than hunting in the stars..." murmured Cinderpelt, once she'd finished. Her ears quivered. "It sounds to me that there'll be a battle yet. And death."

"Isn't there any way to stop it?" Leafpool asked hopefully.

Cinderpelt looked back at her, and for all the worry in her eyes there was also a twinge of amusement. "Leafpool," she meowed gently. "We are medicine cats, and death hurts us more than any other cat. But it is not our duty to stop battles, to try to defy StarClan when they say that something must come to pass."

"Well, what _is _our duty?" Leafpool asked her, feeling for all the world like a young apprentice again.

"We can heal injuries after battles have happened," murmured Cinderpelt, and Leafpool saw the bright, wise flash of her warrior anscestors in her blue eyes. "We can stop unnesseccary death. And, more than anything else, we can hold our faith in StarClan. They know what must happen, Leafpool, and we must honor them by believing that."

&&&

Leafpool shared tongues with Squirrelflight at the edge of the stone hollow. For a while Leafpool let herself forget all her troubles in the comfort of her sister's familiar scent, but then Squirrelflight spoke. "So, Leafpool, what is it that's bothering you?"

Leafpool's fur bristled, and she replied instinctively, "Nothing."

"Come on, Leafpool. How come you've been out of camp so much?"

"No reason. You can't expect me to stay in camp all the time, can you? There are herbs to collect." Leafpool blinked in what she hoped looked like innocence at her sister.

Squirrelflight flicked her ears. "Okay." She licked her sister's tabby fur. "You know you can tell me, if there was, right?"

Leafpool looked into her sister's eyes and lied. "Yes."

&&&

Leafpool lay next to Crowfeather inside WindClan territory. She twined her tail with his, taking comfort in his scent. "She knows something's up, Crowfeather," she mewed. "She'll find out."

Crowfeather shook his head. "Squirrelflight thinks she has to have her nose in everything," he snorted. "That doesn't mean she knows."

Leafpool found it harder to dismiss her sister's curiosity. "What if she _does _find out?" she mewed.

"Would..." Crowfeather broke off, blinking his blue eyes, and started again. "Wouldit be so bad, Leafpool? You and Squirrelflight are so close. She wouldn't tell any cat, would she?"

"I don't know," Leafpool admitted. "But that's not the point. I'm a medicine cat. No one can know about this."

_But how long can it go on, before some cat does find out?  
_

Crowfeather moved away from her and sat up, his shoulders hunched wretchedly. Leafpool padded over to sit beside him, pressing her flank against his. He turned to look at her, and she felt assured by the fierce love in his eyes. "I'll rip apart any cat that gets in our way," he vowed. "But if you don't think we should be together-"

"I don't think that," Leafpool interrupted him, and she knew it was true. She had never been as happy before as she was now with Crowfeather- no matter the rules she was breaking. She thought of the look in Squirrelflight's green eyes and then pushed it away. _I'll hide it from her. She doesn't need to know._

Suddenly she heard a twig snap. Crowfeather's ears pricked in alarm and he turned his head towards the gorse. Leafpool scented the air and picked up fresh WindClan scent. Her pelt began to prickle as Crowfeather let out a hiss and leaped in front of her defensively. But there was no shielding either of them from what was coming.

A pair of blue eyes appeared from among the thorns, dark and full of surprise. A tom's yowl rose in the air, disbelief making it high-pitched.

"Crowfeather!"

**Reviews are appriciated! And, just so you know, I haven't abandoned my Odd Couples fic yet. I'll do a few more of them- and this fic, which still has a few chappies left- not sure how many, yet. **


	20. Chapter 19

**New chap is ready- Crowfeather's POV. Also, in the suggestion for fics department: Blackbirds by Twitcherz and The Story of Sparkle by Dewflower. Thanx to my proofreaders (Ravenpelt, don't worry about this chap; I ended up changing it a ton after I sent it to you) and to all who, for reasons unknown, like what I write. **

Crowfeather recognized the voice, and he felt horror freeze his limbs. "Nettleclaw!"

"I don't believe you, Crowfeather!" The black tom leaped out of the gorse, his eyes huge, his fur bristling. "_Here_? With...with a medicine cat!"

Crowfeather leaped instinctively before Leafpool, facing down Nettleclaw himself. "What makes you think you can follow me, Nettleclaw?" he hissed.

"It's a good thing I did!" snarled his Clanmate. Crowfeather had rarely seen him so angry, and he knew it was out of pure shock. "You're our deputy, Crowfeather! How can you do this?"

"It's none of your business!" Hating that his friend was echoing everything he was afraid of, Crowfeather bared his teeth.

Leafpool looked round him; her amber eyes wide with a mixture of fear and defiance. "We aren't doing anything wrong."

Nettleclaw's tail twitched. "You're breaking the warrior code!"

The medicine cat's eyes flashed with an admirable strength, and she stepped clear of Crowfeather, coming forward to look Nettleclaw in the eye. "StarClan is beside us," she meowed. "And that's good enough for me."

Nettleclaw stared at her, then turned to Crowfeather questioningly. He found that he could not meet the black tom's eyes, and instead turned to Leafpool. He tried to wordlessly let her know that he would do anything to keep Nettleclaw from letting the secret of their relationship spread, but he did not know if he was successful; she looked just as worried as ever as she leaped away. To her credit, she looked back once at Nettleclaw, her head raised and her eyes flashing, refusing to show any sort of embarrassment for what she had done.

_What will happen to her, _Crowfeather couldn't help wondering, _if Nettleclaw tells other cats? What if she is forbidden from being a medicine cat any longer? What will she do then?_

He began to pad in the direction of camp with Nettleclaw; the black warrior let rip as soon as they were moving. "I don't believe you, Crowfeather! Telling me nothing was wrong, when all the time you were out with a ThunderClan she-cat! Not only that, but a medicine cat! How many codes can you break in a day?"

"It's not like that!" growled Crowfeather. "I...I love her, Nettleclaw. I really do."

For a moment Nettleclaw was stunned into silence, and then he shook himself. "How could you do this, Crowfeather? I thought you were loyal. But how can you betray WindClan?"

"I'm not!" Crowfeather jerked his head up indignantly. "Just because I love Leafpool doesn't mean that I'll hesitate to rip any ThunderClan cat apart- if it ever comes to that."

"What about Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw?" asked Nettleclaw shrewdly. "Would you fight them?"

"If I had to!" Crowfeather crouched, his back arched, fur bristling on his spine, and yet at the same time knowing that he could never bring himself to attack his old friend.

Nettleclaw's dark blue eyes met his, and Crowfeather saw that there was sorrow in them as well as disbelief, all buried under a bitter anger. "I don't believe you."

&&&

Nettleclaw refused to speak to him any further on the way back to camp. He turned to Crowfeather on last time as they cleared the rise. "I won't tell any cat," he meowed, "But that's only because I don't want the Clan torn apart again- and I know it would be if the rest of the Clan found out what sort of cat Onestar made his deputy."

He flicked his tail and leaped away, to the other side of the clearing. Looking after him, Crowfeather knew that, though Nettleclaw was angry at him, he was still protecting him by keeping his secret safe. He wondered wryly whether he would ever have the chance to thank the black warrior.

_How long can he hate me?_

The deputy wanted to get angry, wanted to chase down Nettleclaw and make him understand. But he was simply too exhausted, so instead he sat down, peering vainly across the moor as if trying to see through the fog into the uncertain future that he knew lay somewhere ahead.

&&&

Breezes brushed Crowfeather's fur, fitting through the thin covering of the warriors' den. Usually, like all WindClan cats, he welcomed the movement through his pelt, but tonight he shivered and drew his nose over his paws as he fell into the starlit fields of dreams.

Crowfeather hunted through the moors. He caught the scent of rabbit and then tensed, coiling his muscles as his old mentor Mudclaw had taught him long ago. When at last he saw the flash of fur, the gray and brown spun silver in the moonlight, he lunged. The rabbit ran, but Crowfeather was faster. Stretching out his front paws, he pinned it down, his fangs flashing as he delivered the killing bite.

"A good catch." The voice came from nowhere, and Crowfeather jerked his head up aggressively. "Who's that?"

"You know me." The tone was oddly familiar this time, and a black cat stepped out of the shadows. The tom walked with an odd limp, and Crowfeather realized it was because one if his front paws was twisted and deformed.

_Deadfoot! _Tallstar's most trusted deputy, who had died soon after the battle with BloodClan. Crowfeather did not actually remember him from life, and he wouldn't have recognized him at all if he hadn't been visited by Deadfoot once before- and that was when the fallen deputy had told him to meet the others at the new moon to hear what midnight had to tell them.

"They didn't believe me, you know," meowed Deadfoot, coming closer. "The rest of StarClan, I mean. They thought you were too young. To aggressive, to be one of the chosen cats."

"I..." Crowfeather trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"But you proved them wrong. You were brave and strong, and you never forgot who you were fighting with. And now look at you. Clan deputy- and no StarClan cat can deny that you deserve the position."

"Even with..." Crowfeather looked down.

"Even with Leafpool?" Deadfoot finished. "Crowfeather, no cat can be blamed for love. It is not StarClan's way, nor will it ever be."

He touched Crowfeather's shoulder with his tail, making the WindClan warrior lift his head to meet his eyes. Deadfoot's star-filled gaze was intense, and Crowfeather forced himself to meet it.

"You are my chosen cat, Crowfeather. You are brave and strong and loyal- don't forget that. And don't forget the other chosen cats, either, nor what you have sworn to do for the forest."

His image was blurred, and as Crowfeather opened his mouth to ask a question, he disappeared altogether. The gray-black cat was alone on the moors, with only the echoes of the fallen deputy's voice for company.

**Reviews are appreciated!**


	21. Chapter 20

**Finally, FINALLY the document thing is working again! YAY!I can update!**

**Back at Brambleclaw's POV. Thanks for all the reviews!**

"Are you all right, Brambleclaw?" Squirrelflight faced him as they made their way back to camp from patrol.

"Yes." Brambleclaw hoped he looked convincing. In truth, he had been jumpy and worried ever since that night at the island. He didn't know what to think. He didn't want to believe Hawkfrost was bad, but what he was suggesting was wrong. Brambleclaw knew it.

Worry was shadowed in Squirrelflight's green gaze. "I'm probably being paranoid," she admitted. "Just lately...something's up, I know it is."

Feeling even worse, Brambleclaw moved closer and licked her ear. "Don't worry about me, Squirrelflight," he mewed, hoping that she would listen to him. He could only imagine what she would say if she heard about Hawkfrost.

Squirrelflight started to purr, and then let out a startled yowl. Brambleclaw watched in alarm as she crouched, her head tucked under, her tail whipping from side to side. She was shaking, and he bent beside her, pressing his flank against hers. "What is it?"

"I..." Squirrelflight's voice broke off and she started again in a gasp.She seemed released from whatever had struck her, though her eyes were laced with a new concern- not for herself "Don't know." She jerked her muzzle up suddenly. "Leafpool!"

The tabby she-cat was coming down the gorse tunnel. When Brambleclaw looked at her eyes, she saw that the fear there matched Squirrelflight's. Her ginger sister leaped to her paws and rocketed over to her. "Leafpool! Leafpool what happened to you?"

"Nothing," Leafpool meowed at once. "Why would you think that anything did?" Her mew was raspy.

"I _know _it did." There was absolute certainty in Squirrelflight's expression. "You've been lying to me, Leafpool. Something's up with you!"

"No there isn't!" growled Leafpool. She crouched down, looking uncharacteristically hostile. "I told you there's nothing!"

"I felt it." Brambleclaw didn't understand Squirrelflight's reply, but apparently Leafpool did, for she looked down at her paws. "I felt whatever you were feeling. Whatever's bothering you. Why don't you tell me?"

"Why don't you mind your own business for once?" snarled Leafpool. "You think you have to have your nose in everything, don't you, Squirrelflight? Why don't you just get it that I don't _need _you looking after me like I was a kit! I don't_want _you to! Now get out of my way!"

Hissing, she pushed her way past Squirrelflight and raced across the clearing, disappearing in the medicine cats' den. When Squirrelflight turned back around anger, shock, and sorrow were battling on her face, and it seemed as if it was all she could do to keep from leaping after her sister.

&&&

Though he agreed that the young medicine cat's behavior was odd, Hawkfrost was a more pressing problem to Brambleclaw. Squirrelflight, however, who was still clueless to Brambleclaw's secret, constantly paced around camp, stopping only to glare at the medicine cat's den. Her orange fur puffed up and her ears twitched as if she could still hear her sister hissing at her.

"You know, it's all right if she doesn't want to tell you," Brambleclaw meowed to her practically as Squirrelflight stared after Leafpool as she headed back out the thorn entrance. "You aren't kits or even apprentices anymore. She's a medicine cat and you're a warrior. You won't be able to share everything with each other."

He expected an argument, but Squirrelflight only sat down and sighed. "I know that," she mewed. "That's what I've been telling myself. But Brambleclaw, don't you see? I _can't _forget it. Whatever troubles her- and whatever troubles me- we can feel it. I know when she's afraid, when she's angry. And she's seen where I am in her dreams."

Brambleclaw's pelt prickled in alarm and disbelief. "What? How?" he stammered.He knew they had a special connection from their journey, but nothing like this.

"I don't know. Leafpool reckons that it comes from StarClan." Her gaze fixated unhappily at the sky and she shook her head. Brambleclaw stared at her. He wouldn't be able to believe it at all, but then he remembered what had happened on their journey to the sun-drown-place. When Tawnypelt had been injured by a rat bite, Squirrelflight had mysteriously remembered that burdock root was good for infections, something that no normal warrior apprentice should have known. But Leafpool would have known...was it possible that the message had been passed from sister to sister through a dream?

"What…what is Leafpool feeling now?" Brambleclaw whispered tentatively.

Squirrelflight squeezed her eyes shut. "She's worried and frightened about something. She's angry. And she's keeping some secret, I know she is."

_But what? _Brambleclaw wondered. If Leafpool knew that she couldn't keep secrets from Squirrelflight, then why was she even trying?Then he remembered the frequent absences of Leafpool, and he had a feeling that it wasn't for herbs

It was so unlike Leafpool to speak to harshly, especially to her sister. What was making her act this way? Was it out of pressure or built-up annoyance at Squirrelflight? The tabby she-cat's words had sounded almost hollow. Could it have been that she was echoing someone else?

He looked out towards the thorn exit, cold claws running down his spine as he thought of all the cats that were keeping secrets. And he was one of them.

&&&

Brambleclaw padded along near the WindClan border, scenting the air, his ears twitching at the sound of bracken rustling in the breeze. It was a relief to be out of camp by himself, with only the sounds of the forest for company.

He was alerted by scrabbling in the undergrowth and immediately crouched down as flat as he could. The wind was blowing against him, so he knew that the creature could scent him. He would have to move quickly. Stalking forward, he made his way towards the rustling, rather surprised that the rabbit or vole hadn't fled yet. Then he saw a pair of eyes blinking out of the heather- not prey eyes, _cat _eyes.

Brambleclaw held his crouch, narrowing his eyes. A growl bubbled in his throat and his claws unsheathed, but before he could make a sound or attack the cat stepped out of the undergrowth. He looked wary, and his tail-tip twitched. "Brambleclaw. Glad I could find you."

The ThunderClan cat stood up in surprise. He didn't sheathe his claws. "Webfoot? What are you doing here?"

"I was looking for you," Webfoot meowed. "I met Hawkfrost at the border yesterday. He has a message for you."

Brambleclaw's ears pricked. He hadn't been expecting this. Thinking it was perhaps a trap, he scented the air carefully. Webfoot was alone. The tabby cat studied the other's skinny shoulders and wiry frame. If it did come to a fight, he knew that he could win easily, and his fur lay flat at this assurance. "What is it?"

"He says..." Webfoot pawed the ground. "He says that he wants you to come to the quarter-moon meetings. He says that you're a great warrior and that you...er...understand. _I _don't know what he meant by that- do you?"

Brambleclaw had frozen. _Understand? Understand what? What it's like to be like Tigerstar? _He shook himself when he realized Webfoot was watching him curiously. "I know what he means," he murmured. "Thanks, Webfoot."

The gray tom relaxed and turned around, clearly craving to get back in his own territory. "I'll see you at the quarter moon, Brambleclaw."

His tone was oddly friendly, and Brambleclaw stared after him thoughtfully. Was it because of the meetings? Or was it out of a newfound respect that he ahd found, s imply because Hawkfrost trusted Brambleclaw? His half-brother commanded a great deal of respect from the former followers of Mudclaw, and Brambleclaw's heart pounded as he wondered just how far they would go to obey him.

**And the plot thickens...tension's going to snap pretty soon! **


	22. Chapter 21

**New chappie! Goes from Crowfeather to Leafpool's POV. **

"I can't believe I said that to her. It was awful." Leafpool fixed her miserable gaze on the moon above them.

"She deserved it!" Crowfeather pressed his shoulder against hers in support. "She shouldn't have been snooping around in your business!"

"She wasn't." Leafpool's eyes were wide. "Don't you see, Crowfeather? We share the same dreams sometimes. The same thoughts. The same _feelings. _She felt how worried I was and she wanted to know why."

Crowfeather looked at her. He wouldn't have been able to believe it if he hadn't known her so well, if he hadn't seen the truth in her eyes. "Still," he went on, "You did the right thing. Do you want her to find out?"

"No!" Leafpool's fur bristled indignantly. "Nettleclaw's bad enough. He didn't tell anyone in WindClan, did he?"

Crowfeather shook his head. "But he thinks I betrayed the Clan," he admitted. "He won't talk to me anymore."

"Have _you _tried talking to _him_?" Leafpool looked at him keenly.

Crowfeather tilted his head. "No. We haven't done anything wrong. I'm not crawling for his forgiveness unless he sees that."

For a moment Leafpool looked exasperated, and then her eyes narrowed with amusement and she reached out and prodded him with a paw. "You're so stubborn."

"Hey, I thought you liked that about me." Crowfeather prodded her back, then reached forward to lick the top of her head. She purred, and he pointed out, "You seem to be acting a bit like me, anyway. Yowling at Squirrelflight certainly was something _I'd _do."

"Well, if I can act like you, then you can act like me. And trying to talk to Nettleclaw is something I'd do. So go."

He got to his paws, stretching and warming his pelt under the starlight, and then looked back at her. "You'll be all right with Squirrelflight?"

Leafpool shrugged. "I'll be fine."

There was worry in her eyes, though, and Crowfeather looked after her as she padded away through the undergrowth. He wondered if she would be able to stand up to her sister's tongue- which, he knew from experience, was as sharp as her claws. He blinked, and wished that he could go after her.

Then he remembered the patrols that he had to send out, the report that he had to make to Onestar.

_I can't waste time. After all, I'm a deputy now._

&&&

Leafpool caught a squirrel on the way back to camp, and was relieved that she would be able to return with the excuse of hunting, especially since it had only been two days before that Squirrelflight had become so suspicious of her. She still hadn't spoken to her sister, though she could feel Squirrelflight's worry and pain pricking sharply in her paws.

Despite what Crowfeather had said, she felt bad about what she'd done. She hardly ever got angry- especially not with Squirrelflight, since they understood each other so well. They certainly didn't lie to each other much. As Leafpool pushed her way through the thorns, she felt the will to keep her forbidden relationship secret begin to ebb away.

_But what will Squirrelflight do, if she finds out? _wondered Leafpool. _Will she tell Firestar? Will she try to get me to stop seeing him? Or will she ignore me, just like Nettleclaw's doing to Crowfeather? _

She didn't think she would be able to stand any of those, and she sighed through the squirrel fur as she padded into camp, almost running into Firestar and Graystripe as she did so. The leader and deputy's tails were curled up and their whiskers twitched as if they had just shared a joke, and Graystripe's eyes still glinted with amusement as he looked down at her.

"What's up, Leafpool?" he meowed. "You look like your fresh-kill just bit you."

"It's nothing." The young medicine cat turned her head away, searching for an excuse. "Cinderpelt had me busy with the mouse bile, that's all. If anything can make a cat look sour, that stuff can."

Graystripe let out a _mrrow _of laughter and nodded, though Firestar peered at her more closely. "Are you sure? Nothing's troubling you?"

"No." _Just worried that I'll be exiled for loving Crowfeather, and prophecies hanging over my head all the time._

Firestar flicked her shoulder with his tail. "All right. But you can always tell me, you know, if something comes up. I'm not just your father, Leafpool- you're my medicine cat, and it's your duty to tell me things that may concern the Clan."

Leafpool dipped her head. "I know. Cinderpelt's always told me that."

"As long as you're all right," Firestar mewed. Leafpool managed to hold his gaze until Graystripe meowed, "Well, there's patrols to worry about now. When's the last time we've had a sniff up the WindClan border?"

"I can't imagine that we'd have any trouble from them," Firestar commented. "If the last Gathering is anything to go by, I'd say they already have their paws full with RiverClan."

"And Ashfoot's dead," Graystripe added. "I've known her since we brought WindClan back home when we were barely warriors. That must have been a blow to Onestar."

"He'll be all right." Firestar spoke with the dutiful diplomacy of a Clan leader, though concern for his old friend made his ears twitch. Graystripe blinked at him knowingly. "I'll round up Cloudtail, Sootfur, and Sunpaw to see the border with me. You can be sure that they'll help me rip the fur off any RiverClan warriors that we may see anywhere near WindClan."

He bounded away towards the warriors' den, and Firestar followed him after giving Leafpool a swift lick. The tabby she-cat looked after her father, longing to confide in him as she had as a kit, with his warm flame-colored fur wrapped around her and making her feel safe. Now the winds felt like cold claws around her, and try as she might to bring it back, that long-ago image wasn't as clear as it had once been.

&&&

After bringing a poultice to Longtail, Leafpool sat with Sorreltail outside the nursery, chewing on a vole. Sorreltail stretched out on her side, warming her tortoiseshell fur and the kits that lay inside her swollen belly.

Brackenfur padded over, a rabbit in his jaws. He set it down beside her. "Have you eaten yet?" he fretted. "Has Cinderpelt come to see how you were doing today?"

"Yes, _Mother_." Sorreltail opened her eyes drowsily, reaching up to bat his muzzle with a paw. "I'm all right." She rolled onto her back. "This queen stuff isn't as difficult as you might think. Laying in the sun...stuffing myself with the fresh-kill that the big, strong warriors bring me."

"Yes, I imagine that's very rough." Brackenfur purred as he sat down beside her, and they began to share the rabbit. Figuring her friend would want to be alone with her mate, Leafpool snapped up the rest of the vole, murmuring a good-bye through the mouthful. She sighed as she went.

Things were so _easy _for Sorreltail. She was a warrior, she had Brackenfur, and now her kits to look forward to. Her path was carved so clearly before her, and she had nothing to worry about- no breaking codes, no prophecies from StarClan, not even any quarrels with anyone. Sorreltail got along with everyone.

Leafpool shook her head as she made her way to her den. She had always thought that she was doing what was right- for herself and ThunderClan- by becoming a medicine cat. She had only been a kit when she had seen Cinderpelt at work and wonder if she could do it too, the healing.

_But there's a lot more to it than healing. _Leafpool's ears twitched at the memory of what Cinderpelt had once told her. _It is about always being there for your Clan leader and Clanmates. It is about reassuring them in troubled times. It is about letting yourself explore the mysteries of StarClan and having our warrior ancestors share what they wish with you._

Leafpool lifted her head again, and she found herself meeting the eyes of Squirrelflight, across the clearing. Her sister looked back at her, ginger fur bristling uncomfortably. For a couple of heartbeats they only looked at each other, and then Squirrelflight bounded over to her. "Leafpool, will you talk to me?"

Leafpool nodded, sitting back on her haunches and letting out her breath, unable to put up an argument or even force herself to walk away. Squirrelflight looked relieved. "I...I'm sorry, Leafpool. Whatever it is I did to make you mad, I'm sorry."

The medicine cat was surprised. She had expected Squirrelflight still to demand to know what was troubling her. But she seemed willing to let her keep it to herself.

_That's a first for Squirrelflight, _she thought dryly.

Squirrelflight stared at her with huge green eyes. "I thought you'd want to tell me what was bothering you," she admitted. "I thought that I could help you. But maybe I can't. You're a medicine cat, Leafpool. I'm a warrior. I know we share dreams, but we can't share everything, can we?"

"No, we can't," she agreed, and then went on, "I'm sorry too, Squirrelfight. For yelling at you. I was just upset and being mouse-brained."

"Just a bit," Squirrelflight teased.

"Just a bit." Leafpool purred. "And you're right. We can't share everything. Cinderpelt told me once that I've chosen a very different path from yours, and she's right. I have to worry about things that you shouldn't know about- StarClan and prophecies and healing the Clan."

"And hunting and fighting for the sake of ThunderClan isn't so easy, either," Squirrelfight addded. She paused. "You could still tell me, Leafpool. It's not like I'd tell anyone- even Brambleclaw."

Leafpool blinked, imagining what the result would be if she revealed her terrible secret. _Would you?_

Squirrelflight pressed against her, and Leafpool closed her eyes briefly, reminding herself that she wasn't alone. No matter that Squirrelflight didn't know- the fact that she was willing to understand that Leafpool didn't want to tell her. Even with their differences, and even with all they'd been through, Leafpool knew that she'd never lose the link with her sister that she'd tried to hard to keep all her life.

The young medicine thought of all her troubles- her relationship with Crowfeather, Brambleclaw's warnings from StarClan, and her own visits from her warrior ancestors. The chilling message made her fur bristle: _Blood will spill blood, and the lake will run red._

Then she looked into her sister's trusting green eyes and purred to herself. No, things weren't right again. But they were starting to be, and that meant everything to her.

**Reviews are appriciated!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Woot, new chap. I'm almost done- maybe three or four more chappies. Brambleclaw's POV. **

"Hey, Brambleclaw, are you paying attention?" Sootfur's meow brought Brambleclaw sharply back to earth, and he quickly returned to instructing Birchpaw. Graystripe, Sunpaw, and Sandstorm were also part of the patrol, and he knew that the deputy and senior warrior would be watching him carefully to report to Firestar on how well he was mentoring. But how could he pay attention when there was so much on his mind?

The large patrol was heading for the ShadowClan border to renew the scent marks, and to make sure that the marsh-dwelling, dark warriors had stayed on their side of the border. The mention of ShadowClan had made Brambleclaw of Tawnypelt, and then the quarter-moon meetings. He had been watching the moon carefully, and knew that he had two nights before the next meeting would be held, and a chill went down his spine when he realized he had to make his final decision as to whether or not to go.

Birchpaw bounced ahead, his green eyes bright as he sniffed the air. Sunpaw was just behind him, her whiskers twitching with the wind. Sandstorm was just beside her, making sure that the patrol was heading in the right direction, with Sootfur and Brambleclaw behind. Graystripe brought up the rear.

"I smell shrew!" announced Sunpaw, looking back at her mentor eagerly.

"Yes, but we're not supposed to be hunting," he replied. "What else do you smell?"

"ShadowClan," mewed Birchpaw.

"No more than what's to be expected- we're near the border." Sandstorm flicked her ears.

"A bit of stale fox...maybe a few days old," Birchpaw went on, lifting his muzzle to the air. "And rabbit from a few moons ago, they must have had a warren near here."

"Right." Graystripe sounded pleased, and he nodded to Brambleclaw, who felt a prick of pride to have his apprentice praised by the deputy of his clan.

"Come on, then," Sandstorm meowed. "Let's walk along the border."

She pointed out the border markings to Sunpaw, and as Brambleclaw bounded forward to do the same for Birchpaw, he caught a new scent filtering through the air. Sootfur jerked his head up at the same moment, amber eyes narrowing. "More ShadowClan. Fresh, this time."

There was a rustle in the bracken beyond the border just then, and Brambleclaw recognized her scent just as Tawnypelt appeared, her dark tortoiseshell pelt lying flat and beckoning Cedarheart came just behind her. Though he too didn't look hostile, his unsheathed claws scratched the soil beneath him.

Sandstorm had arched her back defensively, but as Tawnypelt gave her a respectful nod she relaxed. The rest of the patrol joined her at the edge of the border, Graystripe flicking his tail on Sunpaw's shoulder to stop her from baring her teeth. "Hello."

"Hello, Graystripe," returned Tawnypelt. "I trust all is well in ThunderClan? My mother and brother?"

"I'm fine," mewed Brambleclaw, coming up behind Graystripe.

"And Goldenflower enjoys Longtail's company very much now," added Sootfur, with a _mrrow _of laughter that was silenced by a look from Sandstorm.

"ShadowClan is well, too," Tawnypelt meowed. "Plenty of newleaf prey."

"Yes, no cat can complain," Graystripe agreed. His tone was polite, but the uncomfortable twitch of his tail reminded Brambleclaw of the oddness of this meeting.

"And ShadowClan has kept to our own borders," Cedarheart went on, with a bit of a suggestive growl that made Sootfur flatten his ears.

Tawnypelt flicked Cedarheart with her tail- an affectionate flick, Brambleclaw noted- and then dipped her head. "It was good to see you," she mewed, touching noses with her brother. "See you around."

Eager to end the awkward meeting, Graystripe quickly led the patrol back around. Brambleclaw followed, herding Birchpaw and intensely grateful that his apprentice hadn't asked for news of Applepaw and her brothers- a query that he knew would have been relayed back to Firestar. And how would the Clan leader react, knowing that Brambleclaw's apprentice was in touch with ShadowClan?

"I can't believe we just had a whole conversation with ShadowClan cats without getting our ears clawed off," growled Sootfur. He caught Brambleclaw's eyes and added, "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"No, it's all right." Brambleclaw opened his mouth to say something further, and then closed it when he heard an odd sound. It was sharp, like a twig being snapped underpaw, but instinct told him it was a hiss- sharp and quick.

Swallowing, he turned back around. Fleetingly, he saw the back of Tawnypelt as she disappeared in the undergrowth. Though he didn't see her face, she raised her tail and beckoned him, once, twice, three times.

She was calling him back. What could his sister have to say that was so important? He was always the one that tried to stay in contact with her by forbidden meetings- Tawnypelt had always been in favor of sticking rigidly by the warrior code.

Forcing his voice to be light, he called to his Clanmates, "I'm going to try for that shrew Sunpaw smelled earlier. We could always use a bit more fresh-kill."

Graystripe nodded good-naturedly. "All right. We'll see you back at camp."

"Okay." Relieved that he had gotten away without argument, Brambleclaw slipped into deeper undergrowth while to patrol padded away. Once he was sure they were out of earshot, he warily approached the border again, mewing quietly, "Tawnypelt?"

"Good, you heard me." Her head peeped out of a bundle of thorns. "I...well, Cedarheart has something to tell you."

The dark gray tom came out of the thorns as well, his eyes narrow as if he couldn't believe he was here talking to a ThunderClan cat. "You can't tell Firestar," he warned.

Brambleclaw's fur bristled, uncertain whether or not he should keep that promise, but Cedarheart looked at him insistently, and Tawnypelt nodded encouragingly, so he mumbled, "Okay."

Cedarheart drew himself up. "Well, I've seen Rowanclaw and a few others sneaking off a lot lately," he meowed. "At night, and they make sure that no one else comes with them. They say they're hunting but they never come back with any prey- or certainly not enough for as long as they had stayed out."

"He told me," Tawnypelt took up the story, "and we followed them one night. You can guess where they went."

Brambleclaw blinked. "The island?" he meowed. "With..." The name caught in his throat. "Hawkfrost?"

"Yes. There are RiverClan and WindClan cats there too, Brambleclaw."

"But I thought we would only meet every quarter-moon!"

"Hawfrost lied to us. They meet almost every night now." Tawnypelt's green eyes were wide.

"He tricked us," Cedarheart snarled. "That first meeting- that was just so that he could see which of us he knew he could trust for whatever he's _really _planning."

"And what is that?" Brambleclaw wondered.

"We don't know," Tawnypelt admitted. "But whatever it is- it's happening soon. Maybe the night of what was supposed to be the next meeting."

"Two days from now." Brambleclaw's fur stood straight out as he realized it. "If you're right, and they're planning some sort of attack two nights from now...what if I went to the island at moonhigh and I didn't know what was really going on? Once ThunderClan found out they'd think that I'd had something to do with it."

"Hawkfrost would have framed you?" murmured Cedarheart. He shook himself. "I think we're the only three that weren't told about the more frequent meetings. We have to stop them."

"And why can't I tell Firestar, or you Blackstar?" Brambleclaw demanded. "They'd end it. What would you do if you knew about betrayal in your own clan?"

"No." Cedarheart spoke fiercely. "Blackstar would banish them- he hates Hawkfrost. I know that if I could just speak to Rowanclaw..."

"He'd rip your fur off," Tawnypelt noted.

Cedarheart ignored her. "Rowanclaw's my brother, my littermate," he explained. "I can't get him in trouble- not when I might be able to end it without Blackstar knowing." He looked up. "Will you come with us, Brambleclaw, two nights from now? To see what they're doing?"

For a moment his cold, angry expression fell away and his blue eyes were shadowed with a mixture of hope and worry. Brambleclaw shifted from paw to paw, unconvinced and still half-wanting to sprint back to the ThunderClan camp and confess what he knew to Firestar.

Tawnypelt came forward. Her dark green eyes were large in her head, and they glinted like ice. "Brambleclaw," she meowed. "Come on. Cedarheart and I want to talk them out of whatever they're going to do- and if any cat can convince Hawkfrost out of doing something, it's you."

Brambleclaw felt his fur bristle. It wasn't an insult, but it felt like one. "Because I'm so much like Hawkfrost?" he spat.

Tawnypelt looked taken aback. "No," she meowed. "Because he listens to you. Only you, Brambleclaw."

He thought of the meetings, of Hawkfrost's stubborn decision to stretch the warrior code to help himself, and the forest, he believed. But Cedarheart and Tawnypelt said that they were planning some sort of attack. How could they be helping the forest doing that?

_He's my brother. Even if he's a traitor he's still my brother, and I have to help him. Or at least try to make him see sense. _

"Okay," he meowed.

"We'll meet you at the grass before the fallen log on the island in two days' time." mewed Tawnypelt, brushing her tail past his shoulder in thanks.

Brambleclaw chanced a look at Cedarheart, and he saw his own feelings mirrored on the other tom's face. He had no time to dwell on it, however, for it was then when Cedarheart nodded briskly, turned away and disappeared in the undergrowth, only pausing to wait for Tawnypelt.

&&&

_What does Hawkfrost tell the others at these meetings?  
_

_What are they planning?  
_

_Is it good or bad?  
_

_Why didn't he tell me about them, too?  
_

Thoughts like these plauged Brambleclaw for the next two days. He had a hard time concentrating, and an even harder time hiding it from Squirrelflight. She was on patrol with him and Cloudtail and Brightheart the day after his run-in with Cedarheart and Tawnypelt and she kept looking at him anxiously. She'd wondered for a while if there was something up with him, and now she seemed certain, her green eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

Still, in a completely un-Squirrelflight-ish way, she didn't say anything about it, only shot him odd looks with a stormcloud of emotion on her face. Brambleclaw wanted nothing more than to confide in her and find comfort in her warm fur. Truthfully, he would have felt a hundred times better if Squirrelflight could go with them to spy on Hawkfrost. But he knew that he couldn't tell her, because she would, firstly, be angry with him for not telling her about the quarter moon meetings. Then, if Cedarheart and Tawnypelt were right in thinking that Hawkfrost was up to no good, she would never trust his half-brother again.

_Why should I care? He's nothing but a traitor...isn't he?  
_

Brambleclaw didn't know, and he didn't want Squirrelflight to know unless he was certain one way or another. He didn't want to bring up the argument that had arisen from their arrival at the lake again.

Finally, the sun set on the second night. Brambleclaw stepped carefully out of the warriors' den, sliding silently past Squirrelflight and looking back at her sadly, wishing that she was coming with him to make jokes and break the tension that stayed around him like thick mud.

The thorns seemed unbearably loud as he made his way through them. They snagged in his pelt, almost as if they were trying to pull him back. When Brambleclaw had finally cleared them he threw himself into tall grass, hiding for a few heartbeats as he made sure that he wasn't followed. So intent he was on being steady and silent, he didn't even notice Leafpool, a couple of tail-lengths in front of him. He still didn't see as she looked over him curiously, worriedly, making sure he hadn't seen her, and then leaped away. When he did look around, all he saw was a flash of light brown fur, disappearing in the direction of WindClan territory. For a moment he stared after what he'd seen. Then he shook himself and set off for the island, dismissing it as nothing to worry about.

**Leafpool and another POV next chappie...**


	24. I'm Sorry

Hey. I'm really sorry for my lack of updating, but I've been writing other stuff outside of fanfiction now- I've been working on a novel and stuff for the writing class I'm taking. I dunno if I'll come back to this story or any of my others- maybe if I have free time. For now it's postponed. Thanks to everyone that reviewed and read my stories- you all are awesome. I'm still editing for people here, and I might write a new Sunset: My Version that corresponds with the real Twilight once it comes out. But until then, I doubt I'll be doing anything with my stories here. Bye!


	25. Chapter 23

**Guess what? I'M BACK! Hehe, my class is over now, and I decided to come back to the wonderful world of fanfiction. OMG there are a lot of fics made up of one-shots now, aren't they? Anyway...well, I wrote this chap on a whim today, based off the last chap that I had and trashed before I quit, so it might not be great. Still, enjoy!  
**

**And I just realized that I have almost 300 reviews. Did I mention how FREAKIN' AWESOME you all are?**

A pair of green eyes half-opened in the darkness, watching Brambleclaw as he sneaked across the clearing and disappeared into the forest. Squirrelflight's fur bristled as she sat up. Where was he going in the middle of the night? And why hadn't he told her?

All her old worries came rushing back. _Does it have to do with Hawkfrost? Was I right all along?_

She reminded herself that he could just be out catching a mouse. As much as Squirrelflight wanted to believe that, she couldn't bring herself to. For a few moments she stared at the camp entrance, then realized there was no point in sitting around. She had to go after him.

The ginger warrior was just standing up when she heard someone stirring behind her. "Squirrelflight, where are you going?"

She didn't turn back around. "Whitewhisker, go back to sleep."

"It's Brambleclaw, isn't it? You're following him."

"So what if I am?" Squirrelflight demanded. "It's not against the warrior code to go out at night. Leave me alone."

"But you're not just 'going out'," Whitewhisker mewed. Her eyes were narrow and clear of all drowsiness. "Brambleclaw doesn't know you're going after him, does he? Do you know where he's going?"

Squirrelflight whipped around, annoyed. "No. But I'm going to find out. Now be quiet, before you wake anyone else up."

Whitewhisker shook her head. "If you don't know where he's going, let me go with you. What if there's trouble? You might need another warrior."

Squirrelflight rolled her eyes. "If I say yes, then will you be quiet?"

Whitewhisker nodded, and the ginger she-cat mewed, "Fine. Let's go, before anyone else-"

"Too late." Spiderleg stretched his long legs in his nest. He had clearly only been faking sleep. "Let me come too."

"And me." Rainwhisker and then Sootfur lifted their heads, then Ashfur. Squirrelflight sighed. "You don't even know where we're going!"

"You can tell us on the way," meowed Rainwhisker, his blue eyes gleaming in anticipation. Squirrelflight twitched her tail, giving up. "Fine." If they continued arguing, they'd wake up the senior warriors. And Squirrelflight knew for sure that they would tell Firestar, which would be bad news for both her and Brambleclaw. As angry as she was at him for sneaking off, she didn't want him to get into any actual trouble with the Clan leader, especially when she wasn't sure if he had actually done anything wrong yet.

They silently padded out of the warriors' den, out into the moonlight. Squirrelflight explained under her breath what they were doing, and it came as no surprise to her that some of them were skeptical.

"Why don't you just tell Firestar?" Ashfur wondered as he slipped through the thorn entrance. "He can make an official patrol to fetch Brambleclaw back."

"Or don't go after him at all," mewed Sootfur. "What makes you think that he's doing anything wrong? He could have just fancied a mouse."

"Look," Squirrelflight meowed. "I don't want him to get in trouble with Firestar, but I _know _something's up. Something more than hunting. I want to know what it is, and if I tell Firestar now Brambleclaw'll never trust me agan. If you don't want to go just go back to sleep. It doesn't matter to me."

But all of their eyes were bright with the anticipation of this secret mission, and no one moved. Squirrelflight sighed again. "Then come on. I'll lead."

She slipped to the head of the line, jaws parted to breathe in Brambleclaw's familiar scent. As they set off it became clear that he wasn't hunting- he was a good ways in front of them, as if he was heading purposefully somewhere. His trail took them in the direction of the WindClan border. But, Squirrelflight reminded herself, that didn't mean he was going to WindClan.

_Perhaps he's going to the island? To meet Hawkfrost there? Like Mudclaw used to when they were planning together?_

Suspicion wormed its way into Squirrelflight's mind, and she couldn't shake it out. The warrior set off with renewed vigor, only to stop short when she caught a completely different scent. She looked behind her, but the others didn't seem to have smelled it. She breathed in again to make sure.

_But what would Leafpool be doing out here, too?_

Blinking, Squirrelflight looked back again. "I'm going to scout ahead," she lied. "Rainwhisker, will you take the lead?"

The dark gray warrior came forward, and Squirrelflight began to run, staying on Brambleclaw's trail at first but veering off when the undergrowth had seperated her from her friends. She found Leafpool's scent again and continued to follow it. Her sister's trail was as strong as Brambleclaw's. She was out here tonight, too. But what was she doing so close to the WindClan border? There were few herbs to be found so near the dry moorland, and surely they were even more difficult to find in the middle of the night?

Squirrelflight plowed steadily on, unsure whether she would be able to stand two betrayals in one night. Brambleclaw was one thing...but her own sister, a medicine cat? She must have some excuse for being out here. Had Barkface called her to WindClan to help with something? But why wouldn't he bring Cinderpelt as well?

_Is this it? Is this what she's been hiding from me?  
_

Squirrelflight was running blindly now, her eyes narrow and blood pounding in her ears. Her unsheathed claws scored into the dirt, and as she approached a clump of nettles ahead she pushed through, ignoring the sting to her pelt.

When she was on the other side she stopped short, her mouth opening, eyes widening. She had found Leafpool.

&&&

Leafpool was lying next to Crowfeather, pelts brushing, tails twined together. When Squirrelflight barreled through the nettles they sprang apart, but they were not quick enough.

"_Leafpool!_" Squirrelflight exploded. She stood where she was, every hair on her pelt on end. "This...this is what you were hiding, all this time? You've been seeing _him_?" Her tail whipped roughly at Crowfeather, who bristled.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"What do you mean, what am _I _doing here? This is my territory, not yours!" Squirrelflight snarled. She looked back at Leafpool. "You're a medicine cat! How can you? How..."

She trailed off, looking unsteady. Leafpool took a step closer to her. "Squirrelflight..."

"No!" Her sister whipped around. "I don't believe it. And _you_!" She glared at Crowfeather. "What about Feathertail? What about being WindClan deputy? Have you forgotten all of that?"

Crowfeather flinched. "No," he meowed. His flanks were heaving, but his voice was calm. "I haven't forgotten. I just-"

"You have to stop seeing each other!"

"No!" Leafpool burst out. Squirrelflight glared at her. "Why not? You know that relationships with cats of other Clans comes to no good. What about Bluestar and Oakheart? Graystripe and Silverstream?" She looked at Crowfeather. "You should know better than anyone."

"I know," Crowfeather meowed. "Doesn't it say something, Squirrelflight, that I'm still seeing Leafpool, even though I know what could happen?"

"Like what?" Squirrelflight hissed. "That you're both idiots?"

Crowfeather glared at her. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"

"I was following Brambleclaw-" Squirrelflight broke off as if wishing she hadn't said that, and Leafpool pressed, "Why were you following Brambleclaw?"

"Never mind." Squirrelflight sat down, looking slightly more composed, but there was new worry in her eyes. "What if someone finds out?"

"No one has yet," mewed Leafpool. "And they won't."

"And you're so sure of that?" Squirrelflight sighed. "Look, Leafpool...what'll you do if Firestar or Onestar _does _find out? You're a medicine cat!"

Leafpool's fur bristled. "They won't find out."

"Can you carry on being a medicine cat like this...will Cinderpelt let you, if she finds out?" The ginger she-cat looked around. "And you, Crowfeather. You're WindClan deputy!"

"So?" Crowfeather leaped to his paws, blue eyes flaming in defense. "Has loving Brambleclaw ever stopped you from being a warrior?"

"That's different!" Squirrelflight growled.

"Why?" Leafpool wondered, looking into her sister's eyes for the first time. "It's the same to me."

Squirrelflight's eyes widened and her limbs seemed frozen, except for her tail which lashed back and forth. For a moment she seemed ready to claw Leafpool apart, and then Crowfeather came to stand at the tabby she-cat's side. They sat together for several heartbeats, Squirrelflight watching them. Then she dropped her head, sadly scratching the ground with her white paw.

"Nothing I say is going to change your minds, is it?"

"No," meowed Leafpool and Crowfeather together.

"I don't understand you, then. Don't the warrior and medicine cat codes mean _anything _to you?"

"Yes, of course they do," murmured Leafpool. "But they don't mean everything."

For just a heartbeat Squirrelflight's angry, wretched expression faded away. For that single hearbeat, as her sister looked into her eyes, Leafpool was sure she understood.

Then Squirrelflight's green gaze hardened again, and Leafpool was left doubting that her sister would ever trust her again.

**Reviews are nice, just so ya know... :-)**


	26. Chapter 24

**New chap! And the one after it's already in the works...anyway, Brambleclaw's POV.**

**Danke sehr to my editor, Dewflower, saving you all from reading some of the crap I come up with.**

**And...the chap:**

Brambleclaw jumped as a twig crackled underneath his paws. He was near the island now, and he could hear the meows of cats there. So Tawnypelt and Ceadarheart had been right- they were gathering there tonight. The realization only filled him with more anxiety, making his neck fur prickle. There was no more denying it now. They really were planning something. And Hawkfrost was their leader.

Where was his sister and the ShadowClan tom? He looked around, scenting the air, but couldn't catch a trace of them. He was just starting to take a couple of pawsteps forward when he heard a hiss behind him. "Brambleclaw!"

Tawnypelt's green eyes opened in the darkness, and she twitched her whiskers. "I thought you would have at least smelled us by now."

Cedarheat was beside her, and he eyed Brambleclaw more critically. "Come on."

He came forward to take the lead as they began to head towards the log that led to the island. Brambleclaw grimanced as he felt his paws sink into soft mud and shivered as it touched his fur, but the two ShadowClan cats didn't seem bothered. They were used to the swamps of their own territory. Ceadarheart's tail brushed Tawnypelt's flank as they went. Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes, wondering just how close they were. He was unable to be completely happy for his sister, not when he had always thought of her as fierce and independant. How much would having a mate change her?

_Squirrelflight isn't any different with me, _he reminded himself, but only succeeded in making himself feel a twinge of guilt for not telling the she-cat what she was doing. _We haven't changed, have we?_

Cedarheart lowered his belly into the sludge, his ears pricked up. "You can hear what they're saying," he whispered. Tawnypelt crouched beside him, Brambleclaw on her other side. They were just behind the log, safely concealed in its shadow. Fuzzy images moved on the nearby island. Their eyes reflected the light of the moon like cold stars, and Brambleclaw knew one of them was Hawkfrost.

_What is he doing? _Even now, he wasn't able to believe that his half-brother was doing something truly evil. If he thought it was for the best, like he had with Mudclaw...like it had seemed during the last meeting. Maybe Brambleclaw could talk him out of it. _Or maybe he's doing something good, and I can help him?_ He couldn't bring himself to voice his doubts.

The deep, rumbling growl was familiar as it met his ears, and, squinting, Brambleclaw thought he could make out the massive shoulders of his half-brother, on top of the Great Tree. "...for a long time they have been the source of trouble. When there is prey theft, who is the first to be blamed? ShadowClan. Who starts the most border fights? ShadowClan. And who, even now, still causes the most trouble between the Clans?"

Another cat that Brambleclaw identified as Rowanclaw growled, "Are you blaming my Clan for all trouble that comes to the forest?"

"Not at all," meowed Hawkfrost smoothly. "ShadowClan has fine warriors,like youself, Rowanclan, and they are not to blame.You and your companions are the ones that keep Clan alive and well.Your leader, however…"

A murmur rippled through the cats, and Brambleclaw, Tawnypelt and Cedarheart exchanged surprised glances. What was Hawkfrost planning to do about Blackstar?

"Why are they listening to him?" demanded Cedarheart. "Rowanclaw-"

"He's been talking to them for a moon now," Tawnypelt murmured. "Poisoning their minds. Making them believe what he does." She glanced sideways at her brother and added in an even quieter voice, "Just like Tigerstar did."

Brambleclaw winced. As much as he would have liked to deny it, the same blood that fueled Tigerstar was inside him and his siblings. Clearly Hawkfrost had embraced it, but what about him and Tawnypelt?

"Am I the only one who remembers how many time Blackstar challenged the other leaders on the journey to our new home?" came Hawkfrost's voice. His shadowy form leaped to a new branch on the tree. "And what about his history? He followed Brokentail, a leader that stole and murdered kits. He followed Tigerstar- surely I don't have to explain what _he _has done."

Brambleclaw's tail twitched in surprise. This was an unexpected reference to their father. _But if Tigerstar came to Hawkfrost in dreams...if he believed what he said, why would he be criticizing him?_

"Am I right in saying that Blackstar is a troublemaker?" Hawkfrost called. A ripple of ascent came from the cats below him, weak at first and then growing stronger as they accepted the conviction in Hawkfrost's voice.

"Would we be doing the forest a favor in getting rid of him?" The dark tabby wondered aloud, never taking his eyes off the crowd.

Tawnypelt's ears pricked up indignantly and Cedarheart let out a growl before he could stop himself. Brambleclaw felt his limbs freeze inside the mud. He forced himself to keep listening as he fought the growing urge to run all the way back to ThunderClan and reveal his information to Firestar. Was Hawkfrost really talking of murdering a Clan leader?

"Yes," Hawkfrost meowed, over the discontented rumble of the warriors below. "I've been wondering, is it not our duty to serve the forest? Aren't we fulfilling that duty by rooting out the cats that are not worthy Clan leaders?"

"Blackstar has been a good leader, Hawkfrost," meowed Rowanclaw. "ShadowClan has done well with his leadership."

"In _spite _of, you mean," Hawkfrost spat. "It is only because of strong warriors- like you, Rowanclaw, that ShadowClan has survived. Blackstar refused an alliance with Firestar when both ThunderClan and ShadowClan were suffering from the Twoleg monsters. Any wise leader would have agreed to work with him."

"And you can't forget how much trouble he caused on the journey!" A cat at the very front of the crowd reared up, his large frame dark against the glare of the moonlight. "Ordering everyone around, arguing about mutual hunting patrols! He only cared for himself and his pride!"

Brambleclaw froze when he saw bobbing heads and thoughtful gazes locked with the branch on the Great Oak. They were agreeing with him! But then again, he_ did_ have a point, as much as Brambleclaw tried to deny it. Everything the dark tabby was saying made sense, and it infuriated Brambleclaw.

Cedarheart's blue eyes were filled with malice. "Badgerclaw," he muttered to his companions, nodding at the large framed cat. "If Hawkfrost were to come across a mud puddle, he'd lay in it so Hawkfrost's paws wouldn't get wet."

Hawkfrost paused to nod at Badgerclaw's words. "You see?" he meowed. "Friends, the times of our secret gatherings are over. Tonight will will rid ShadowClan of it's undeserving leader, and show cats of every Clan the strength in coming together! We will be better TigerClan. But a new TigerClan, stronger, better, and wiser than it ever was under Tigerstar's leadership. We will learn from his mistakes, and we will be unstoppable!"

He reared up, claws slashing at the air. The other cats echoed his yowls, their cries ringing through the island so loudly that Brambleclaw thought it impossible that none of cats back at their respective camps could hear. His body was ridged with horror; the very mention of TigerClan had set his heart pounding.

Tawnypelt's teeth were bared in anger, but there was a spark of amusement in her eyes, too. Was she enjoying this act of defiance? Brambleclaw stared at her. "What?"

"Don't you get it?" she mewed softly. "That's what these meetings were about- to make himself an army! An army that'll rid the Clans of any cat that he doesn't like. Blackstar's first because Blackstar's hated him ever since his four warriors died the night of Mudclaw's betrayal."

Though he was happy his sister wasn't going to join them, Brambleclaw shook his head slowly from side to side, feeling overwhelmed with the unshakable evidence of his brother's betrayal. He really was Tigerstar all over again- worse than Tigerstar, because he was smarter than his father had ever been. He'd found some way to do everything he wanted without appearing suspicious until he had to.

Cedarheart's eyes were stretched wide with disbelief. "I don't get it," he meowed. "Even if he does what he wants tonight and gets rid of all nine of Blackstar's lives- then what? None of the other Clans will follow him- Onestar and Firestar and Leopardstar. No one would follow a murderer..."

"What if he makes Blackstar's death look like betrayal?" wondered Tawnypelt. "What if it looks like Blackstar attacked _him_? Russetfur will listen to him, too- she's mouse-brained enough. Then he'll have ShadowClan on his side. And then-"

"-His cats would keep meeting like this, worming their way into the Clans..." Brambleclaw shivered. _Then, someday, Hawkfrost will control all the Clans. And if he doesn't, he'll wait until he has enough cats to battle for control._

"What can we do?" Cedarheart mumbled.

"I was wondering the same thing."

Tawnypelt actually turned to Brambleclaw, half-opening her mouth, thinking that it was him that had spoken. Then her green eyes widened, her muzzle still hanging open. Brambleclaw did not have to turn around; he could feel the ice-blue eyes searing into his back, so much colder and crueler than they had ever seemed before. But this time he could not relate to the cruelty; this was a hatred that he had only ever seen in the eyes of Tigerstar.

He took a breath, steadying himself, and then turned around, pulling his paws out of the sludge to rest them on the log. His voice was calm; a leader's. But he didn't feel as calm as he seemed as he struggled to keep his neck fur down.

"Hello, Hawkfrost."

&&&

"So, what _are _you doing here?" Crowfeather glared at Squirrelflight. He had half a mind to rip her apart right then and there, but he knew he could never do so with Leafpool intently gazing them both. Squirrelflight's green gaze was cold as she watched him, and he suddenly wondered if she was remembering Feathertail. Did she judge him for finding another love after her death?

Squirrelflight lashed her tail, and glanced at Leafpool, and then sighed, apparently making up her mind. "Like I said, I'm following Brambleclaw. He went out tonight without telling me, and I want to find out where he went. I have a couple of others with me." Alarm flashed in Leafpool's eyes, and she quickly assured her, "I told them to scout ahead without me. They're farther away; they don't know."

_She was quick to tell Leafpool that, _Crowfeather thought, catching the flicker of warmth in the ginger she-cat's eyes as she looked over her sister. _She's not as angry about it as she wants Leafpool to think. Not enough to make her worry about other cats knowing._

"We'll come with you," Leafpool offered instantly. Crowfeather opened his mouth to protest, but was surprised into silence when Squirrelflight meowed, "Okay."

"It's just because you don't want to leave us alone, isn't it?" Crowfeather growled, taking a step towards Leafpool.

Squirrelflight's eyes seared into him the same way they had when they had been apprentices, arguing on the journey to the sun-drown place. "Yes."

She narrowed her eyes. "I'll tell them that I found you, Crowfeather, patrolling the border, and Leafpool collecting herbs."

"So you're not going to tell them the truth?" Leafpool mewed, scuffing a paw in the dirt, her expression unreadable.

Squirrelflight didn't answer as she whipped around, leading the way back to her patrol. Leafpool looked hopelessly at Crowfeather, who put his tail consolingly on her shoulder. "Don't worry. She won't tell. I was right; she cares too much about you to get you in trouble like that."

Her amber eyes soft, Leafpool pushed her muzzle into his gray-black fur before she set off after her sister. Crowfeather padded after her, thinking. First Nettleclaw, now Squirrelflight...it seemed impossible that their secret would stay that way for much longer. But then again, did he want to keep it a secret anymore?

_Of course we do! What will happen if we're found out? Can I still be deputy? Can Leafpool be a medicine cat?_

He doubted it, but forced himself to push the thoughts away from now, and concentrate on Brambleclaw. The rational part of him said that Squirrelflight was overreacting- it was not unusual for Squirrelflight to do so. But another part of him wondered if the tabby warrior really was up to something.

_It's none of my business if he is. WindClan is my problem. Not ThunderClan._

His eyes rested on Leafpool ahead of him, and he knew that wasn't true. Not anymore.

&&&

Squirreflight's fellow warriors didn't object to Leafpool and Crowfeather's joining of their patrol, and seemed to accept Squirrelflight's lie as to where she'd found them. As they continued on, the WindClan deputy fell into step with the ginger warrior behind the others.

"Why don't you just stay away from my sister?" Squirrelflight demanded under her breath.She had fallen into step with the black warrior, letting Rainwhisker continue to lead.

"Why don't you just stay out of our business?" Crowfeather retorted.

"Your breaking of the warrior code is everyone's business! Why shouldn't I just tell Firestar? Or Onestar?"

Crowfeather blinked and answered immediately, with all seriousness, "You won't."

"Why not?"

His gaze locked with hers. "Because Leafpool's your sister, and you won't get her into trouble that way. If it were me or any other cat you would- but not Leafpool. You care for her too much."

Her green eyes flashed indignantly. "You really do know her well, don't you?"

"Yes."

Squirrelflight snorted. "And what about Feathertail?"

"I'll never forget Feathertail." Crowfeather's voice shook. Images of her falling figure raced through his head, the rocks crushing on the ground and booming in his ears. The never-ending plash of falling water that he hated so much. "Never. But Leafpool- we've both had signs from StarClan. We have to be together."

"You've both probably been stuffing yourselves with too much fresh-kill and sleeping too often," Squirrelflight spat, but her tone wasn't nearly so harsh. She glanced sideways at him. "Fine. I won't tell. But she's my sister, Crowfeather. If you ever hurt her..."

"I love her, Squirrelflight."

He felt her eyes on him, and made himself look at her. For a long time they stood like that, each defiant, equally angry and equally stubborn. They would never be real friends; they were too different; had too many arguments.

Squirrelflight flicked her head toward her sister, then back at Crowfeather. She nodded, slowly, hesitantly, the fire still not gone from her green gaze. "Okay."

**Never had anything against reviews, just so ya know...**


	27. Chapter 25

**New chap, Brambleclaw's POV to Leafpool's. Thanks to Dewflower, who edited almost back-to-back with the one before it. **

"Brambleclaw, Cedarheart, Tawnypelt." Hawkfrost nodded to each of them in turn as he stood on the log opposite Brambleclaw. His warriors started to pad closer from the island,circling around them, trapping them inside their ring. Brambleclaw felt his fur prickle at the sight of so many cold, angry eyes.

"We know what you're doing, Hawkfrost," snarled Tawnypelt, leaping up onto the log beside Brambleclaw. "It won't work. We'll warn Blackstar off. Leopardstar, Onestar, and Firestar, too. They'll stop you."

"Will they?" meowed Hawkfrost.

Brambleclaw crouched low, his claws sinking into the bark of the log. Hurt and anger bubbled inside him. "I was wrong about you, Hawkfrost. I told Squirrelflight that you were good. I defended you." He hissed. "I should have listened to her. You're breaking the warrior code; doing everything that Tigerstar did!"

Hawkfrost's eyes widened. "I'm your brother, Brambleclaw. Everything I do is for the good of the forest. Blackstar isn't a good leader; it's only because of Tigerstar and Brokentail that he is Clan leader now."

"How would you know?" spat Cedarheart. "How do you know how it is in ShadowClan? How would you know about Blackstar's history? It's none of your business!"

Hawkfrost's eyes darkened, his claws sliding out of their sheathes, but his tone was still calm. "I don't have to be there to know, Cedarheart. Your own brother agrees with me. Right, Rowanclaw?"

The ginger tom jumped in the crowd. Hawkfrost's cool blue eyes were on him, and Cedarheart's desperate gaze. Slowly, not meeting the dark gray tom's stare, the ShadowClan tom nodded. "He's right. Hawkfrost knows what he's doing. ShadowClan will be better off without Blackstar."

Cedarheart's fur bristled. "You've been feeding them all lies!" he snapped at Hawkfrost. His voice rose. "Don't believe him! Don't follow him! He only tells you lies!" Some cats shifted, others jerked their heads up, eyes flashing as if Cedarheart had just insulted their Clan leader.

"No," Hawkfrost meowed. "You three join me. Help us rid the forest of fools and traitors like Blackstar." His eyes landed on Brambleclaw. "We could rule together as brothers, and the forest would be ours."

Brambleclaw was reminded forcibly of the time, many moons ago, when he had faced Tigerstar just like this. His father had told him to join TigerClan, like Tawnypelt already had. He'd told him that he had all the power, and Brambleclaw could share it if he joined him.

_I made the right choice then, _he thought. _And it was so easy. Why is it so hard this time?_

Before he could speak aloud, Tawnypelt jumped forward. "I made the wrong decision once," she growled. "I followed Tigerstar, because I was afraid of ThunderClan, afraid of being judged there. I thought it would be different with ShadowClan, but I was wrong. ShadowClan and ThunderClan are the same, just like you're the same as Tigerstar."

"I am better than Tigerstar. I have learned from all his mistakes, and I am far more powerful than he ever was. He deserved to fail, and I deserve to succeed."

"Why?" demanded Brambleclaw. "You're just as bad as he ever was!" _No, he's worse. He's planned this out. He knows what he's doing._

As if reading his mind, Hawkfrost growled, "I am not the fool he was. I have power on my side; cats who will fight for me. We fight for the good of the forest, not for the greed that Tigerstar did." The moonlight washed his pelt sliver and made his eyes glow with icy cold light.

Tawneyplt broke into the argument. "Leopardstar would chase you out if she found out what you're doing."

Hawkfrost's tail twitched. "Once she finds out, she'll have to agree with what I'm doing."

"Or what? You'll kill her?"

Hawkfrost's eyes flashed, and though he didn't answer, Brambleclaw was sure that that was what he'd do. Just like Tigerstar, his mind had been twisted in his hunger for power. _Squirrelflight and Leafpool were right about him all along. I should have killed him the night Mudclaw died.  
_

"Why did you save me?" he wondered suddenly. "The night of Mudclaw's betrayal. Why didn't you just kill me?"

Hawkfrost stared at him steadily. The two brothers were almost nose to nose, each the image of the other, the same flaming intensity in their eyes and hardness to their muscles that came from such devoted service to their Clans.

"You're my brother," Hawkfrost meowed. "You're more like me than any other cat. You could fight beside me. We could rule together."

Brambleclaw was silent for several heartbeats. Tawnypelt and Cedarheart stood side by side behind him, not saying anything either or meeting each other's eyes. _Are they wondering if I'll accept? _

The tabby tom took a breath. "You're not my brother, Hawkfrost. Not when you're just like Tigerstar. I've tried my whole life to not be like him, and I'm not going to start now."

Hurt crossed Hawkfrost's face, as if he'd been clawed, but it was gone so quickly that Brambleclaw couldn't be sure of what he'd seen.

"Very well," meowed the blue-eyed tabby. The steely glint of battle was in his eyes, and for the first time it crossed Brambleclaw's mind that there was a good chance he would not make it out of this meeting alive.

&&&

"The island," confirmed Whitewhisker as she bounded back towards Squirrelflight. "He was headed for the island."

"There's ShadowClan scent, too," Leafpool commented, sniffing the air. "What does that mean? Was he meeting Tawnypelt?"

"It's Tawnypelt's scent," Crowfeather confirmed. "And someone else- I don't know who."

"So Brambleclaw's meeting ShadowClan cats," Squirrelflight growled, her claws unsheathing.

"It shouldn't matter if it's only Tawnypelt," Leafpool assured her. "Their siblings. It's not like they're plotting together." She looked thoughtful, "But he should know better than to meet _any_ cat from another clan. It's breaking the warrior code."

Squirrelflight's tail lashed. "I don't like it. Come on."

She charged onward, leaving Leafpool and the others to follow her, some sharing exasperated glances. Leafpool knew that all the others were certain that Brambleclaw was just meeting Tawnypelt, and there was nothing to worry about. She thought so herself, but Squirrelflight knew Brambleclaw better than her. Besides, she knew that her ginger sister wouldn't be convinced until she saw Brambleclaw meeting Tawnypelt with her own eyes.

They could see the log now. There were no cats on it, but when Leafpool narrowed her eyes she could see that there were cats on the island itself, and more than just two. Her heart beat faster. Did that mean Squirrelflight was right?

Her sister certainly thought so, for she plowed on even faster. Leafpool brought up the rear, straining her eyes. Cats were creeping onto the log now, a whole group from the island and a smaller group from the shore. She thought she caught the glare of Brambleclaw's amber eyes. Was that him?

The patrol was still moving slowly and silently, and Squirrelflight stopped altogether to watch. Leafpool crept forward to sit beside her, pressing her shoulder against Squirrelflight's comfortingly. "I'm sure he has an explanation."

"Like what, Leafpool?" There was misery in Squirrelflight's green eyes. "That he's betraying ThunderClan? Why else would he be out with a whole group of cats in the middle of the night?"

"He doesn't have to be up to anything bad."

"But why didn't he tell me? It's obvious he doesn't trust me!"

"Of course he does."

"Crowfeather trusts _you._" Leafpool was taken aback by what might have been jealousy in her sister's gaze. "You're luckier than you know, Leafpool."

Leafpool's paws prickled and she looked down, uncomfortable and uncertain of what to say. "I know."

"And you'll be careful?"

"I've been careful for moons now. You didn't know before, did you?"

Squirrelflight shook her head, reaching over to lick her ear. "All right. It's just...you know that this whole thing is mouse-brained, right?"

Leafpool purred. "Yes. But StarClan wants us to be together, Squirrelflight. I know they do."

She looked away from her sister and saw Crowfeather watching her affectionately from a couple of tail-lengths away. She twitched her whiskers at him.

The moment was broken roughly as a shrill yowl ripped through the air. Alarm passed through the patrol as they leaped to their paws, trying to see what was going on at the log. Leafpool saw claws and teeth flashing in the moonlight, but that was all.

It was a battle. A battle that Brambleclaw was fighting in, Tawnypelt too. And Leafpool and the others might be too late to save them from dying, not because of secrets, lies, prophecies or betrayal, but simply because they were too many pawsteps away.

**I've never had a problem with reviews... :-)**


	28. Chapter 26

**Next chap...danke to Dewflower, as always, and enjoy!**

Brambleclaw found himself flinching away as Tawnypelt's battle cry split the air. She flung herself at Hawkfrost, her lip curling to reveal her teeth. Hawkfrost was caught by surprise but reared up, matching her claw to claw and throwing her to the side. She tumbled down the log, skidding to a stop as her sharp claws dug into the soft, wet bark.

"Traitor!" the she-cat spat, regaining her footing and looking straight at the dark tabby with an intensity that made Brambleclaw wince. "Blackstar was right all along; you should have been killed the moment you came to the forest!"

Rage smoldered in the tabby's blue eyes and turned them to cold chips of flint reflecting the moonlight. "And you're loyal?" he demanded. "You? Switching Clans, coming in between your own Clanmates and enemy warriors? Going on dangerous journeys when your Clan needed you at home?"

"If we hadn't made that journey," Brambleclaw growled, "We would all be dead now."

Hawkfrost ignored him, and Tawnypelt's voice rose in a high-pitched screech filled with pain. "It's all your fault! You fault that ShadowClan doesn't trust me, that ThunderClan hated me! All my life I've tried to prove that blood means nothing. That I could be loyal, no matter whether I had ThunderClan or ShadowClan blood, no matter who my father was. But you...you're undoing all of that!"

Her hatred made Brambleclaw freeze in surprise. Tawnypelt had never been like this before. She was often angry and prickly, but that was a calm anger, when she looked down at cats, so much more in control than they were. Now her fur bristled, tail lashing as she hissed. Her eyes flashed with a raw hatred, and her claws swiped at the air. Brambleclaw glanced at Cedarheart, who seemed as stunned as he was. Hawkfrost's cats had backed up, watching the fight with a fascination that made Brambleclaw want to look away.

Tawnypelt leaped up, landing on Hawkfrost's back. Her claws slashed his dark tabby fur until his blood spattered onto the log below their paws. He yowled in pain and fury, twisting to reach her. His claws sank into her shoulders and he pulled her down, pinning her to the log. He hissed at her. "You are lucky to have known our father. To learn from him, discover his dreams. I never had such a chance."

The tortoiseshell she-cat snarled at him. "You're the lucky one. I wish I had never met him myself."

Hawkfrost's paw drew back, his unusually long claws sliding smoothly into the night air. Brambleclaw's gaze was fixated on them, and suddenly he was in a different place altogether: Fourtrees, before the Twoleg monsters. He stood among the ThunderClan and WindClan cats, watching Tigerstar throw himself at Scourge. His father's paw lifted, claws as long and gleaming as his son's were now.

Cedarheart's yowl brought Brambleclaw sharply back to earth. In a flash of gray fur he passed Brambleclaw , launching himself towards Hawkfrost. Brambleclaw instinctively leaped with him, but they were both too slow. Hawkfrost's paw flashed down, and then up again, this time dark with blood. Tawnypelt let out a cry of pain and defiance that rang in Brambleclaw's ears.

Hawkfrost's eyes were narrow as he released her. Tawnypelt was limp on the log, and Brambleclaw fell midleap with Cedarheart. They were both waiting. Waiting for her to get to her paws. Waiting for her to throw herself back at Hawkfrost. Waiting for her to fight back, not showing any pain or fatigue, just as stubborn as always.

But instead she only rolled pathetically to the side. The clearing seemed to hold its breath as her claws scrabbled weakly on the log, but before she could grab a firm hold she fell from the smooth surface to the water below, hitting the lake with a sickening splash. The ripples in the water seemed to pass through Brambleclaw, shock waves that shook every hair on his pelt. Still he stood, waiting patiently for her to break the surface. Tawnypelt would be back up to fight again, and together they might- no, they would- beat Hawkfrost. _Tawnypelt will help me undo everything I've been doing wrong ever since I started trusting him. She's strong, and so am I. We can win._

Several long heartbeats passed, but she hadn't come up yet. Cedarheart went limp beside Brambleclaw, his eyes never leaving the water. "No...no."

Brambleclaw looked at him in confusion. "Tawnypelt would be back up soon." She would be ready to fight, like always. She wouldn't leave the battle first; she never did. Even when she had injured her shoulder on the journey to the sun-drown-place, even when she and him had been on separate sides during the border fight with ShadowClan, all those moons ago.

Brambleclaw's gaze rose to meet Hawkfrost's, and the groteque satisfaction in his half-brother's eyes to make him realize. Realize that Tawnypelt was not rising, was never going to rise.

She was dead.

&&&

Leafpool's paws pounded the ground as she charged in between Squirrelflight and Crowfeather. Her sister's green eyes were narrow, and both of the she-cats winced as they heard a splash come from the lake. _Not Brambleclaw...it can't be Brambleclaw. _Was it her own thought, or Squirrelflight's?

"Who are we fighting?" Crowfeather demanded as they neared the log. "We don't even know who's there!"

Squirrelflight's mouth opened as if she intended to spit back a reply, but couldn't come up with anything. Rainwhisker and Sootfur, who were still leading, came to an abrupt stop. "Squirrelflight," began the lighter gray tom, "maybe we should watch for a moment-"

The ginger she-cat was already flashing past them, Leafpool at her heels. The two sisters crept through the island grasses, just in time to see Brambleclaw sway on his paws from his position on the log. A ShadowClan tom was beside him with a similiar expression on his face, while Hawkfrost, a party of warriors behind him, surveyed them coldly. His tail whipped at the cats, unmistakably on his side.

"Attack." Leafpool had never heard an order given like that before, a hissed whisper as if he knew for certain that it was going to be followed, as if he did not care what he was saying because they should already know what to do. Either way the warriors obeyed, surging forward to Brambleclaw and the gray ShadowClan tom, who didn't look like they were going to put up much of a fight.

Squirrelflight whipped around to face Rainwhisker and the others. Her voice was a yowl of determination and a hatred that Leafpool had never seen in her before. "There's your enemy!" Her tail jabbed at Hawkfrost. "Him and anyone with him! Anyone attacking Brambleclaw!"

Rainwhisker, Sootfur, Ashfur, Spiderleg, and Whitewhisker dove forward after her without question. Crowfeather hesitated for a moment, glancing at Leafpool. "You...?"

"Medicine cats have teeth too." Her eyes flashed at him, and he nodded and leaped towards the fray, with Leafpool just after him. True, she had teeth, but Cinderpelt had not been the best warrior mentor; her leg and her own limited training had prevented that. Leafpool's fur bristled. She would still have to fight- she couldn't abandon her Clanmates and Crowfeather now, not when they were already outnumbered in this fight.

She tried to keep Crowfeather in sight, but was wrenched aside by a skinny ShadowClan tom. Leafpool winced as his claws raked her flank and she dodged out of reach, only to leap forward again, her claws digging into his ear. A yowl split the land around the log, and Leafpool flinched as she realized it was Squirrelflight. She turned her head to see if her sister was all right, and in that moment the ShadowClan tom bit down hard on her shoulder. The medicine cat struggled but his hold only tightened.

_I'm not a warrior! How-_

The thought was cut off with a blur of gray fur as another cat ripped the ShadowClan tom away from her. For a moment Leafpool thought it was Crowfeather- but was surprised to find another ShadowClan tom. She blinked, confused, until he met her eyes. "I'm a friend."

It was Cedarheart, and Leafpool could only spare him a brief nod of thanks before she leaped off, searching for the orange pelt of her sister. She couldn't see Brambleclaw, or Tawnypelt, or Crowfeather, and her paws sank into mud with each step. Cats fought all around her; the chaos rang in her ears. She wasn't used to it- she didn't _want _to be used to it. She was a medicine cat, for StarClan's sake!

Another set of claws dug into Leafpool's fur, making her wince. She lashed out instinctively, and the she-cat recoiled with a screech of pain just as she caught sight of Squirrelflight, wrestling with a massive black-and-white RiverClan cat. Leafpool sprang over to help, and together the two sisters sent the cat sprawling away.

"Have you found Brambleclaw?" Leafpool panted.

"Only for a moment," Squirrelflight gasped. Her green eyes were oddly hollow

"He isn't-"

"No." Squirrelflight's tone was blunt. "But Tawnypelt is."

Leafpool's heart thudded so loudly she thought it impossible that her sister couldn't hear it. _Tawnypelt. _Leafpool had never known the ShadowClan she-cat herself, but Squirrelflight had always talked of how brave and practical she was. And the friendship they had made on their journey to the sun-drowned-place would make it a devastating loss for Squirrelflight- and Crowfeather too.

"Brambleclaw said Hawkfrost did it," spat Squirrelflight.

It registered what this must mean for the dark tabby tom, and Leafpool's amber eyes widened. "Where is he?"

Squirrelflight shrugged. "Fighting. There are more of them than there are of us, Leafpool. And Hawkfrost has them all fighting for him to the death. We could lose."

Leafpool swallowed as she imagined Squirrelflight dying in this battle- or Crowfeather. She still had not found the WindClan warrior, but a new battle cry made every fighting cat pause for a moment.

Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost were upon the log. Both brothers were bleeding from wounds, but both stood strong, staring at each other with an intensity that would have made most other cats turn away. Their flanks heaved and their teeth were bared; Leafpool didn't know which one of them had yowled. When the moonlight took the shine off their eyes, she could not tell them apart.

Squirrelflight tensed beside her, and Leafpool didn't have to look at her to know what she was thinking. She could see it, in Brambleclaw's hatred and Hawkfrost's cold arrogance; in the whisper that seemed to ripple over every cat fighting. It made her own fur prickle and her claws grip the mud beneath her. She wanted to flee, but she couldn't take her eyes off the two toms.

Tawnypelt's death had been the first that day, but Leafpool knew now that it wouldn't be the last.

**You can all commence hating me now. **


	29. Chapter 27

**New chap...danke sehr to Dewflower, and enjoy!**

_He's not my brother._

The words drummed their way through Brambleclaw's mind over and over again as he stared at Hawkfrost. He willed himself to believe it, but he couldn't. No matter what he'd done, Hawkfrost was his brother.

He could feel the icy blue eyes on him and lifted his own gaze to meet them. A growl rose in his throat. "You killed her."

"She deserved it." Hawkfrost's tone held no emotion; not even anger. Brambleclaw glared at him. _Does he even care?_

"Don't you see, Brambleclaw?" Hawkfrost went on. "Tawnypelt made the wrong choice. You could make the right one. My cats are strong; they will win this fight. You can share the glory, and we can rule as brothers."

Brambleclaw heard Squirrelflight suck in her breat and heard the urgent whispers of cats from both sides as they waited to hear what he would say. His eyes widened. What _could _he say? Once again, he felt like he was at Fourtrees again, looking straight into the amber eyes of his father.

He took a step forward. "Follow you? You're trying to take over the forest! You _murdered my sister!"_

All his hatred and bitterness was contained in those words, and with a snarl he threw himself at his half-brother before he fully knew what he was doing. Hawkfrost dodged nimbly aside, and Brambleclaw's hooked claws sank into wood of the log as he skidded to a stop. Before he could rip himself clear, he felt the RiverClan cat's teeth sink into his neck fur. Brambelclaw yowled in pain, swinging his paws back and feeling with a surge of satisfaction as they slashed down Hawkfrost's face. His half-brother released him with a cry of pain, and Brambelclaw scrambled to his paws. The log was slippery beneath him- if they kept on like this it wouldn't be long before one of them fell into the water. It was too easy to picture himself falling into the depths, the water swallowing him as he sank into blackness.

_Like Tawnypelt. _Glancing over the edge he caught sight of his sister's body, half-floating, her thick tortoiseshell fur already pulling her down. Brambleclaw swallowed and turned his attention back to Hawkfrost. Blood was running down the dark tabby's cheek and he panted as he glared at Brambleclaw.

"You aren't going to beat me."

Brambleclaw narrowed his eyes, his weight falling back on his haunches. "What makes you so sure?"

He leaped again, twisting in the air so that he landed directly behind Hawkfrost. Before he could lose his balance he launched himself back into the air, directly onto Hawkfrost's back. His half-brother reared up but was unable to shake him off. Brambleclaw's hind legs scratched down his flanks and as he hissed.

Suddenly Hawkfrost jerked himself forward, purposely sheathing his claws. He tumbled off the log and Brambleclaw fell with him, instinctively recoiling when he hit the cold water. The impact made him lose his hold on his half-brother, and for a few heartbeats he floundered desperately through the shallow water. Then Hawkfrost exploded out of the water beside him.

"You can't fight like a RiverClan cat." His eyes flashed before he tackled Brambleclaw, forcing him under. "You'll die in the water, just like your sister…"

His voice trailed off as Brambleclaw's head as thrust under. His feet scraped the muddy bottom of the lake, but he couldn't get a firm enough hold on the sludge in order to fight back. His eyes opened underwater but he couldn't see anything in the fogginess. A stream of bubbles exploded out of his mouth. Hawkfrost's paws were still on top of him; and he opened his jaws, only to receive a mouthful of water. He couldn't breathe...

He jerked underneath the water and felt Hawkfrost's paws slide off of him. Slowly he rose up, gasping as his head broke the surface, coughing up lake water. He heard Hawkfrost's growl and barely had time to duck away before his brother splashed down beside him. Brambleclaw continued to flounder away. He couldn't fight in the water, nor did he want to. Hawkfrost could swim much better than he could, and he had to keep this fight equal if he ever wanted to win.

The ThunderClan warrior sighed with relief as his paws touched the shore of the island. His muscles protested as he hauled himself ashore, still choking. For a moment his head rested against the mud in exhaustion, and then he heard the battle cry of his brother. Hawkfrost leaped upon the shore, his wet fur stained black from the water, unable to keep fatigue from shadowing the coldness of his blue eyes.

Brambleclaw forgot how tired he was when Hawkfrost's claws scraped his shoulder, releasing a fresh surge of pain. _He killed Tawnypelt. I have to beat him, for her. _He snarled again and forced himself forward, his teeth sinking into Hawkfrost's leg. As his half-brother pulled back he lost his balance, falling to the wet turf. Brambleclaw saw his chance and stood over him, paws pressing into his chest. Hawkfrost kicked out, sending Brambleclaw sprawling aside, only to get up again when Hawkfrost charged at him again.

The two brothers reared up, paws on each other's shoulders as they forced each other back and forth. Brambleclaw's jaws snapped down on Hawkfrost's ear as his brother's teeth gripped his shoulder. They were wrenched back and forth, each unable to throw the other off and yet unwilling to let go.

Brambleclaw could hear faint mews from the opposite shore and knew the others were watching with mixed emotions, too afraid to come nearer and intervene, willing to wait to see who the victor would be. With a wild thump of his heart Brambleclaw realized that he didn't know who would win this fight.

Simple fear lent him what he needed. Despite the nagging ache that beat though his body, he dug his hind claws into the ground and heaved himself forward. Hawkfrost was knocked off balance, his teeth ripping painfully free of Brambleclaw's shoulder as he fell forward upon the ground. The ThunderClan warrior held him there, paws against his chest.

Hawkfrost's eyes flashed up at him. "You're going to kill me? Your own brother?"

"You aren't my brother."

"What about when I saved you from Mudclaw?" Hawkfrost meowed. "What about when you came to the first meeting on the lake? You were my brother then. You'll always be."

His eyes were narrow slits of pale fire, mocking Brambleclaw. "You won't kill me. You don't have the strength."

_I have to. He killed Tawnypelt..._

Another voice entered his mind, _He's your brother._

_No he isn't. Not anymore. _

_He is your brother, just like Tigerstar is your father. And he always will be…_

"No!" Brambleclaw's screech made both of them flinch in surprise. Hawkfrost took the opportunity and started to wriggle free. Brambleclaw tightened his hold, starting to bend down to give the bite that would end this battle.

Fur flashed past him then, pushing him roughly aside, away from the RiverClan cat. Brambleclaw tumbled back into the shallow water before he could see who had come to Hawkfrost's aid. He found his footing and emerged from the water. Water had streamed into his eyes and it was several heartbeats more before he could make out the identity of the cat.

Squirrelflight.

Her dark orange fur was stained with blood, her eyes cold and dark. She whispered something, but it was either too quiet or Brambleclaw was too dazed to hear it. She met his eyes for a few moments and then stepped back so that Brambleclaw could see Hawkfrost. Squirrelflight had torn his throat open; blood poured out onto the island shore as he thrashed desperately, trying to fight even though there was no cat around him to attack.

"He was your brother," Squirrelflight murmured softly. "I didn't want you to do it. I couldn't let you."

She stared at Brambleclaw as if waiting for him to claw her. The dark tabby felt his heart pound as he gazed at her, as he slowly realized what she'd done. He took a few careful, shaky pawsteps forward until he stood by her side. She gave a quiet purr as he buried his muzzle in her flame-colored fur, but Brambleclaw couldn't manage to reply. He could only close his eyes, turning sharply away, relieved that she was there, relieved that he did not have to watch the last struggles of Hawkfrost as he died, and relieved beyond measure that he did not have to be the one to kill him.

&&&

Leafpool finally saw Crowfeather as she strained to watch what was happening to Squirrelflight, Hawkfrost, and Brambleclaw on the island. The gray-black cat was standing frozen like everyone else, a hooded look to his eyes that told Leafpool he had heard what had happened to Tawnypelt.

Suddenly a black-and-white RiverClan cat let out a howl. "They killed him!"

He meant Hawkfrost, Leafpool realized. Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight were slowly making their way back across the log. The limp body of Hawkfrost lay on the shore of the Gathering place. Both cats looked tired, and Leafpool couldn't see any sign of victory in their eyes.

The words of Hawkfrost's warrior seemed to have stunned most of the cats on his side. One by one they began to flee, the black-and-white cat called Badgerclaw at the being the fore of them. Leafpool watched them go, wondering if their departure was because they did not have anyone to follow without Hawkfrost, or just out of fear of what their Clans might do to them once they found out what they were up to.

Only a few of the warriors stayed behind, besides Cedarheart, Crowfeather, and Squirrelflight's patrol. One of them was Rowanclaw. The dark ginger cat looked down at his paws, the tip of his tail lashing back and forth. Cedarheart was watching him, and silently his brother stalked over to him, looking him in the eye. "I'm sorry. Tawnypelt shouldn't have..." He looked at his paws. "I was a fool to follow Hawkfrost. "

Cedarheart did not say anything at first, but Leafpool felt her heart lift slightly when she saw warmth filter into the grief in his eyes. "Are you...coming back to ShadowClan?"

"If Blackstar will let me." He looked at the other cats around him. Webfoot and Briarpelt of WindClan, Oakfur of ShadowClan, and two RiverClan cats had all stayed behind. They looked around nervously, clearly wondering whether they'd be chased off.

Dawn was just appearing over the horizon, and Leafpool stared at the thin edge of the sun, hardly able to believe that this time yesterday, Tawnypelt and Hawkfrost had been alive. This time yesterday, no one had known about her and Crowfeather. This time yesterday, she had thought there had been peace. But now she knew she was wrong as she gazed into the eyes of Hawkfrosts followers. What would they do now? Where would they go? Would their Clans take them back?

"Leafpool." Squirrelflight's mew broke into her thoughts. "We're all kind of torn up. Maybe you could help patch everyone-"

"No." It was Crowfeather. He looked over Webfoot and Briarpelt, for the first time appearing like a deputy to Leafpool. "We should all be getting back to our own Clans now. We've been out too long tonight."

The others meowed agreement, clearly happy to be able to go home and rest after this horrific battle.

Rainwhisker commented, "Firestar will want to know about this."

Leafpool wondered what her father would think. Surely he would be reminded of Tigerstar; Hawkfrost's plan had been almost identical to his father's. Brambleclaw shifted nervously and Squirrelflight pressed her side against his comfortingly.

_What will he do to Brambleclaw? _Leafpool wondered. _Will he see Tigerstar in him all over again, after tonight?_

Crowfeather led Webfoot and Briarpelt by. Leafpool met his gaze for a long moment, nodding just enough to let him know that she was all right. He returned her nod with a tiny dip of his head, and then disappeared in the undergrowth. Leafpool looked after him. _You're luckier than you know, Leafpool. _Squirrelflight's words came back to her, and suddenly the embarrassed reply she had uttered earlier didn't seem adequate.

Cedarheart and the ShadowClan cats departed, and then the RiverClan cats. No one spoke; as if they were stunned into silence. Finally only the ThunderClan cats were left. They all looked instinctively toward Brambleclaw.

"What about Hawkfrost's cats?" demanded Sootfur. "We can't just let them go!"

"I'm not chasing after them," meowed Brambleclaw stoutly. "They'll most likely go rogue; we'll meet up with them soon enough."

Sootfur nodded reluctantly, and Whitewhisker wondered, "What about Hawkfrost's body?" She looked down into the lake, where Hawkfrost's body still lay, cooling in the crisp dawn air.

Brambleclaw looked away, and Squirrelflight spoke for him. "That's for Leopardstar to decide. He's her warrior."

"She'll wish he wasn't, once she hears about this," murmured Ashfur. He blinked. "Can we trust the others to tell their Clan leaders about it?"

Brambleclaw looked thoughtful for a moment. "Crowfeather will tell Onestar, and Cedarheart will tell Blackstar I'm sure."

"And Leopardstar?" Rainwhisker narrowed his eyes. "It would be easier for those two warriors if they make up some story about a badger or something that killed Hawkfrost and the other warriors."

The tabby warrior flicked his ears. "We can ask Firestar to send a patrol into RiverClan territory and tell her, in case you're right."

The dark tabby warrior flicked his tail in the direction of the ThunderClan camp. "Come on. Let's go home."

He looked more tired than Leafpool had ever seen him before, but she found herself following him without question. For a while they padded in silence, and Leafpool was amazed that her paws were still moving beneath her in her exhaustion. Dawn dutifully made its way over the horizon as they walked, and the stone hollow had come into sight before it occured to the medicine cat that they had actually won the battle.

**I FINALLY get to do Crowfeather's POV for a bit next chap...**


	30. Chapter 28

**Hey! Sorry for the delay on this one- I'm in South Carolina for vacation and just managed to get onto my stepdad's Internet-hooked computer to update. Bramble and Crow POV, danke to Dewflower my editor, and thank you all for reading and reviewing!**

Firestar, Sandstorm, Dustpelt and Cloudtail came out to meet Brambleclaw and the others as they padded into camp. The tabby warrior flinched- he hadn't expected to face the Clan leader and his senior warriors the moment they got back to camp. The flame-colored tom surveyed them, his eyes hard. "Well?" he growled. "What were you all doing out in the middle of the night? If it was a patrol, I certainly didn't order it."

Brambleclaw forced himself to meet his leader's angry gaze. "It was important, Firestar, I promise."

Firestar's green eyes widened as he looked over their wounds. "Brambleclaw, come to my den," he meowed. He let a flicker of warmth enter his expression as he added, "The rest of you go to Cinderpelt's den to see what she can do for you."

Brambleclaw felt the eyes of every cat in the camp on him as he limped after his leader towards the Highledge. Unsteadily he leaped over the rubble into the cleft in the rocks, Firestar just before him. The inside of the den was dark, and as Brambleclaw's eyes adjusted he made out Firestar's nest in the corner with its lining of moss and feathers. The Clan leader sat down, facing his warrior. Some of the anger had faded from his eyes, but his gaze was still stern. "Well?"

Brambleclaw sighed. He had been working out how to tell Firestar all that had happened on the way home. Still, the preperation didn't seem useful now. Slowly, he began his story, starting with Hawkfrost's approaching him at the Gathering, meeting Tawnypelt in the woods, and then both their impressions of the first meeting. He continued on to tell about how Cedarheart and Tawnypelt had found him on patrol and described Hawkfrost's secret meetings. Finally he depicted what had happened that night, filling in the things Squirrelflight had told him on the walk home. His voice shook as he told of Tawnypelt's death, and Firestar's tail reached out, gently touching his shoulder.

"So he killed her," he meowed softly. There was a reminiscent look on his face, and Brambleclaw wondered if he was remembering Bluestar's death. "Go on."

"Squirrelflight and the others came out," Brambleclaw mewed, "b Ab0 nd there was a battle. I fought Hawkfrost..."

Firestar blinked. "Is he dead?"

"I couldn't do it," Brambleclaw confessed. "I could have, but I didn't. Squirrelflight did."

Firestar's eyes flashed; for a heartbeat Brambleclaw thought he was angry that he'd put his daughter in danger, and then he recognized the look of admiration. "Good," he meowed quietly. "It was better this way." His meow was laced with pride. "She's a true warrior, isn't she?"

"Yes," Brambleclaw agreed. _And I would be dead now if she hadn't come looking for me._

Firestar's legs stretched out before him. "I can't say I'm happy with everything you've done, Brambleclaw," he meowed, "but there's no doubt that you did well tonight. Not many cats have the strength you've showed." His ears twitched. "From now on, any cat would be mousebrained to ever think of you as the same as Tigerstar- or Hawkfrost, for that matter. You are very different from them. No doubt just as ambitious, but ambition doesn't always have to be a bad thing."

Brambleclaw dipped his head, relieved. "Thank you, Firestar."

"I believe- " Firestar paused as if choosing his words carefully, and then went on. "I believe that, someday, you will make a fine deputy...and perhaps even leader of ThunderClan."

Brambleclaw's eyes widened with shock, and he looked at his leader, trying to find some trace of amusement in his expression but unable to see any. "Thank you, Firestar," he managed, "but there are others far more experienced warriors than me who deserve the spot more."

Firestar looked at him squarely. "No, Brambleclaw. You journeyed to the sun-drown-place, led us to our new home, and now foiled a plot to take over the forest. You are an outstanding warrior." He paused. From now on, though, I'd like you to tell me about any plots that may be going on in the forest."

The dark tabby dipped his head. "I will."

Firestar watched him for a moment more before he began, "But for now you should go-"

Brambleclaw shook his head quickly. "I'll let Cinderpelt tend to the others first. I just want to sleep."

Firestar shook his head, his eyes never leaving Brambleclaw. "No. Before you do any of that, I think there's something you know you have to do first."

&&&

Crowfeather just wanted to curl up in his nest and sleep until greenleaf, but Onestar, Moonfrost, and several others were waiting as he and Webfoot and Briarpelt trotted into camp. The WindClan leader looked at them, surprise turning to suspicion as he saw their wounds, but before he could ask Crowfeather meowed bluntly, "There was a battle."

"With who?" Moonfrost demanded.

"Hawkfrost and his warriors," Crowfeather explained tiredly, launching into his story, carefully sticking to Squirrelflight's lie of him patrolling around the border when he'd run into the ThunderClan she-cat, and went with her and Leafpool to see where Brambleclaw was going.

"Why would you follow her?" Owlclaw wondered. "They were all ThunderClan cats. It could have been a trap!"

"Of course it wasn't." Crowfeather was stunned to hear Nettleclaw's voice as he padded up. His gaze was carefully neutral as he looked over Crowfeather. "Squirrelflight went to the sun-drown-place with Crowfeather. She wouldn't be plotting to hurt him, let alone kill him."

Crowfeather nodded to him before he went on. All of WindClan had gathered around, their curious looks turning angry as they realized what Webfoot and Briarpelt had been doing. Whispers erupted when they realized Nightcloud hadn't come back, and more than one cat unsheathed their claws.

"Why have you come back?" growled Moonfrost roughly, looking over the pair of them with disgust. "Why should we even keep you here? That's twice now you've betrayed WindClan!"

Onestar reached out with his tail to him for silence, but he too looked at Webfoot and Briarpelt, waiting for a response. They didn't say anything, and in the end Crowfeather spoke. "They could have fled with Nightcloud," he meowed, "b they stayed."

"We want to prove that we're loyal," put in Briarpelt, and Webfoot nodded. "Hawkfrost made it sound like his plans were good. He said they were right for the sake of the clans and the forest."

"He was lying," Onestar meowed bluntly. "Everything Hawkfrost ever did was for himself." He looked over his warriors. "Why should I trust you? For all I know, you could be lying as well."

Webfoot swallowed. "You shouldn't," he admitted. "Not after everything we've done. But we hope you will."

Onestar shook his head slowly from side to side, then looked up. "Crowfeather, keep an eye on them. If they put a claw out of line I want to know. For now, they may stay in Windclan."

His gaze landed in the two toms."And don't think I'll be forgetting this any time soon."

He waited until the deputy dipped his head and then padded away, Moonfrost trotting at his side, meowing urgently. Briarpelt gave Crowfeather a look of gratitude, and even Webfoot nodded to him as the two headed for Icepaw and Barkface's den.

As tired as he had been before, Crowfeather's mind was buzzing now, and he didn't think he could fall asleep. He padded to the top of the rise, knowing that no cat would disturb him. The gray-black cat tilted his head up, watching the dawn silently. He could still see Silverpelt twinkling faintly beneath the glare of the early sunlight. The clouds were dark, like shadows thrown into the air, and Crowfeather watched them shift as he replayed the night over in his mind. In the light of everything else he had almost forgotten that Squirrelflight knew about him and Leafpool now. He was sure that she wouldn't tell anyone, and was almost a little relieved that she knew. It would be easier on Leafpool now that she didn't have to hide her feelings from her sister.

He wondered what the medicine cat was doing now. Probably treating the cats that had been at the battle.

_Of course. It's not like she'd go to sleep now, when there are cats still hurt out there_. That's what he liked about Leafpool, always thinking of others before herself. He twitched his whiskers just as he sensed another presence beside him. He jerked his head around to see Nettleclaw, his dark blue eyes unreadable. Crowfeather turned away and the black cat sat down beside him. "You really are deputy now."

Crowfeather blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Onestar never would have let Webfoot and Briarpelt back in the Clan if you hadn't said anything."

Crowfeather nodded slowly. "I guess not." He cocked his head at Nettleclaw and narrowed his eyes. "Angry that a traitor like me has the trust of Onestar?"

Nettleclaw shook his head slowly. "No."

The deputy was surprised. "No?"

Nettleclaw sat down beside him with a gusty sigh. "Look, Crowfeather. You're a good cat, and a good deputy. "Even with the...other things."

"Leafpool, you mean." Crowfeather flicked his ears.

"Yeah." Nettleclaw looked him in the eye. "Squirrelflight knows, doesn't she?"

Crowfeather's fur bristled. "How did you-"

"Patrolling in the middle of the night at the ThunderClan border?" Nettleclaw twitched his ears slightly. "Come on Crowfeather. What else could you be doing?"

Crowfeather's claws unsheathed self-consciously into the soil. He haden't realized how obvious the situation was before now. "Well...yeah. She knows. And she's not going to tell anybody."

"Good."

Crowfeather tipped his head to one side. "Good?"

"Yes." Nettleclaw's tail-tip rested gently on his shoulder. "It doesn't matter what I think, Crowfeather. You're happy, and WindClan needs you. That's all that matters."

He blinked at the deputy, and then padded away. Crowfeather looked after him, feeling his tail curl up. _That's all that matters,_ he agreed to himself. _That I'm happy, and Leafpool's happy. It's all that ever mattered._

&&&

Brambleclaw's paws made no sound on the turf as he padded through the forest. His outside wounds were numb compared the the intensity of the emotional scars inside him. For Tawnypelt,and for Hawkfrost too. He had been right in saying that they were brothers, and always would be. And he had been a great warrior, despite everything else he'd done. Like Tigerstar, he had been given all the strength and power to become a legend among the Clans...but he had thrown it all away.

Firestar had once told Brambleclaw that he had been a little sad after Tigerstar's death, which the dark tabby hadn't been able to understand. He himself had been stunned and sickened by Tigerstar's death, more than he'd thought he'd be- but Tigerstar had been his father. How could Firestar be upset, when they'd always been enemies, ever since Firestar had abandoned his kittypet life for the forest?

Now Brambleclaw thought he understood. It wasn't about the history between them, it was about how much of a loss Tigerstar- and Hawkfrost- had been to the forest. They could have been legendary warriors for everything they'd done. But they had chosen the wrong paths, and paid dearly for it. Brambleclaw shook his head with a bit of a shiver as he realized how close he'd come to doing the same.

Squirrelflight had offered to go with him, but Brambleclaw had refused. Still, she'd made him rest for a while before he could go, and the day was getting old by the time the island came into sight. He had thought he'd be alone, but he made out the shape of another cat standing on the shore of the Gathering place, watching the lake. There was a lump of fur beside him, and Brambleclaw stiffened as he stepped onto the log, expecting to be faced with the body of his brother. But, with a jolt, he realized it was Tawnypelt. Cedarheart was beside her, drops of lakewater gleaming on his whiskers, brighter than his dull blue eyes.

"I found her," he meowed quietly as Brambleclaw came up. The tabby nodded. He looked around, but he did not see Hawkfrost's body, and he didn't feel like asking Cedarheart what he'd done with it. The gray cat's fur was slicked with water, and his muscles were slack beneath. His head was bowed as if he didn't have the strength to lift it back up. There was no trace of the ferocity that he'd always shown before when meeting Brambleclaw, and his tail touched Tawnypelt's sodden body gently.

The dark tabby looked down at his sister, feeling a lump form in his throat. "Did you...love her?" he asked softly.

Cedarheart's ears pricked up and he turned to face Brambleclaw. "I don't know."

"Did she love you?"par par The ShadowClan cat's eyes narrowed. "No," he admitted. "Well, I don't think so. Not like a mate. We were both warriors; warriors before anything. That's what I liked so much about her."

Brambleclaw's whiskers gave a feeble twitch. "Tawnypelt always put ShadowClan first," he agreed.

Cedarheart nodded. "She would have died for it. I don't understand why the other warriors never realized it. Why didn't they think her loyal? She was the most loyal cat in the forest!"

His frustration pricked at Brambleclaw's heart, and he sat down on the other side of his sister, remembering how fierce, how proud, how stubborn she'd always been. She'd never been ambitious like him and Hawkfrost. She had always been less like Tigerstar than he was- both in looks and personality. Yet she'd been the one to leave ThunderClan, simply because she hadn't been able to stand the insults. _But they must have been worse in ShadowClan. She could have come back. But then she would have been taunted more..._

"She was never really happy," Cedarheart meowed, as if he could read his thoughts. "She loved ShadowClan- but not the cats. She hated that they didn't trust her, she tried so hard to make them see, proving her self time and time again. The trip to the sun-drown-place only made it worse."

"I made her go," Brambleclaw whispered.

"She needed to go. I only wish StarClan had chosen a different cat." Cedarheart lifted his head to the setting sun. "Maybe she's finally happy now, though. In StarClan."

The words came back to Brambleclaw then: _There are far worse things than hunting in the stars_. It had proven true for Tawnypelt, but what about Hawkfrost?

He shook his head. There was no telling whether StarClan had even accepted his half-brother. Perhaps he hunted in the dark skies with Tigerstar now- he'd finally gotten his wish of meeting his father. Brambleclaw tipped his head up, wondering if he would ever see those icy blue eyes in his dreams.

The evening sky was empty of all sign of both dark tabby cats, and Brambleclaw wondered if Tawnypelt might be there, too. He turned his head to look at Cedarheart. _She's probably watching you. _

Though Cedarheart doubted it himself, he was certain that Tawnypelt must have loved him...but maybe not like a mate, as he'd said. It was rare for her to show affection for any cat, and he knew that she had to have cared deeply for him.

"I'll help you bury her in ShadowClan territory," he offered.

"No," mewed Cedarheart. "Not ShadowClan. ThunderClan. She would never admit it, but she never stopped wishing that she hadn't left her birth Clan. She belongs there. She always did."

Brambleclaw was surprised, but he slowly nodded. "Okay. I'll make sure that Firestar knows, and you can come visit her grave any time."

Cedarheart twitched his ears, dipping his head slightly. It was as close to a thank-you as the proud ShadowClan warrior would ever give to Brambleclaw.

Together the two toms lifted the limp tortoiseshell body from the turf and began to carry her towards ThunderClan territory. As they went, Brambleclaw could not resist looking back one last time, just as the setting sun touched the water. Like at the sun-drown-place, the fiery orb was swallowed by the water in one burst of dark light. During that one heartbeat- it seemed to last seasons to Brambleclaw- the surface was stained crimson, During that one heartbeat, in the place where blood kin had fought, where blood had been spilled, the lake ran red.

**One more chap left, and also a question. I have an idea for a Power of Three fic that would be based off of Twilight and Sunset My Versions. I could also do a new Sunset: My Version, that corresponds with the real Twilight, which comes out on the 22nd. Which would you rather me do? Please tell me in a review! **


	31. Chapter 29

**Last chap! Leafpool's POV. Thanks so much to everyone that read, reviewed, and faved this story. I had a good time writing it, and it has a semi-cliffie ending that will be wrapped up in the Power of Three fic that I've decided to do. I'll do a Sunset one too, possibly- depending on what pops into my head after I read Twilight.**

_The prophecies all came true._

The realization ran swiftly through Leafpool's head, echoing like the bird calls ringing outside the stone den. She and Cinderpelt sent Whitewhisker to the warriors' den to rest, her wounds patched up with marigold. She repeated her thought to her former mentor, who looked up from the herbs, blue eyes bright against the dusky evening sky. She twitched her tail in agreement. "Blood kin spilled blood tonight, and the lake ran red, just like StarClan predicted."

Leafpool shuddered as the memory of the two fighting cats from her vision in the Moonpool burst back into her mind. She hadn't been able to identify the cats before, but she could now. It had been Brambleclaw and Hawkfrost, fighting for their lives. Of course it had been- how come she hadn't been able to think of that before?

"I could have stopped it," she whispered. "I could have. Then maybe Tawnypelt and Hawkfrost would still be here…" She heaved a sigh.

Cinderpelt's tail rested gently on her shoulder. "Don't think that way, Leafpool. There was no way you could have known. Prophecies are always vague; sometimes impossible to understand. Trust me; you aren't the first to not understand what StarClan told you until it has come to be."

"Then what is the point of prophecies at all?" demanded Leafpool, claws scratching at the soil beneath her in agitation. "Is that what StarClan does? Torture us with messages that we'll never understand, that never help?" As the words tumbled out of her mouth, she realized she must sound like Mothwing. But she wasn't like Mothwing…was she?

The older medicine cat flicked her ears. "You must understand that they aren't simply warnings, Leafpool. They aren't just to let us know what we should avoid. More than that, they are words of reassurance from StarClan, no matter how horrible and confusing they may seem when you recieve them. They let us know that our warriors ancestors know what is ahead, and they are watching over us as we go through it."

Leafpool stared at her white-tipped paws, thoughtful for a few moments. Then she looked up to meet her former mentor's eyes. "That makes sense."

"Good." Cinderpelt was quiet for a couple of heartbeats, and then her eyes narrowed as she searched Leafpool's amber gaze. "You were out collecting herbs when Squirrelflight found you?"

"Yes." A hot flush crept through Leafpool's skin, and she was relieved that it would not be visible beneath her pelt.

"All right." Cinderpelt's tone was neutral, but Leafpool still had to force herself not to wince. "But I want you to remember something, Leafpool- and I'm probably the wrong cat to be saying this."

She took a breath, ears flicking as she chose her words carefully. "The Clan is important. The medicine cat and warrior codes are important. What StarClan and I tell you is important. But most important of all is you being happy. StarClan chooses the paths we walk, but they never meant for your path to hold you back. They never work against us, and force us into a destiny. If you wish to venture off of you path, that is your decision, and no cat can hold you against it. Not even StarClan."

Leafpool opened her mouth, but Cinderpelt was already retreating into her den. Confused, the tabby she-cat could only look after her for a few heartbeats. Then she stumbled out into the main clearing. She was just in time to see Brambleclaw pad out of the thorns, looking more tired than Leafpool had ever seen him before. There was a rustle as Squirrelflight slid out of the warriors' den to meet him. The two cats touched noses with a tenderness that made Leafpool ache inside.

Quickly she padded around the clearing, squeezing out of a tiny exit she had used before. The night was clear and still, the stars seemingly following her into the forest, twinkling eyes that held no emotion. For a few heartbeats, the medicine cat craned her neck upward, searching them as she had done so many times before. Abruptly she jerked her head back down. No, StarClan could not offer her answers now. This was her choice to make.

_It's always been my choice. Why didn't I ever think so before?_

She turned around to watch the ThunderClan clearing, eyes lingering over her father's den, the shapes of Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight as they stood in the middle of the clearing. She stopped at the medicine cat's den that was her home, where she had treated so many cats. She had come to love the stone hollow just as much as she had loved her home in the old forest. She didn't hear anyone grumbling about missing the gorse tunnel, Sunningrocks, or Fourtrees anymore. Even the crankiest of the elders had become used to the land around the lake.

Leafpool sighed to herself as she turned back around. The path to WindClan territory was familiar now, and she traveled swiftly. Her wounds stung as she ran, but she ignored the pain. All she was aware of was the beat of her heart, growing steadily quicker as she neared the rise at last. She felt the same way she had all those moons ago, when she had come running for him after her dream. Fear of StarClan's disapproval had loomed over her then. This time her head and tail were high, and her eyes were clear. She knew what she wanted to do.

She saw the shape of her mate on the hill. For a moment she only watched him, then opened her mouth and let out a hesitant mew.There was no turning back now.

Crowfeather turned with surprise as he heard the familiar call, but his gaze was warm as he padded down to meet her. He let out a welcoming purr that she returned, all the while gesturing into the shadows. He followed her, his blue eyes widening with astonishment as she began to meow to him quietly. Crowfeather's ears pricked up and he meowed back, his voice low and urgent. For a long time they argued back and forth until at last he dropped his head, twining his tail tightly with hers.

Leafpool and Crowfeather got up then, and they padded away into the darkness. Both looked back only once. Memory flooded their eyes, and worry. But there was joy, too, and not a shred of regret.

**It's over...thanks very much to my editor, Dewflower, and once again to everyone that read this story. **


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